The Art of Changing Minds
by puffle.elle
Summary: It had taken her six years. Six years of his incessant teasing, six years of his belligerent declarations of love, and yet- it was only after six years that Lily Evans had realised how truly in love with him she was. Unfortunately, she had blown it. The only sure thing in her revolving world, and she had somehow and in some way managed to completely screw things up. (Format fixed)
1. A rather unfortunate return

**A/N -Hey! So- I am going out on a limb here and braving it: my first ever fan fiction- and am so grateful to anyone who has, gone out on a limb like me, and started reading this. Obviously, I do not own any of these characters- If I did, neither of us would be here. Obviously, I am not a professional by any means, so would really, really appreciate any feedback. If you love it- let me know in a review! If you don't- Let me know anyway! I'm rambling- so I guess here it is... **

**(Rated T/M)**

* * *

**Chapter 1- A rather unfortunate return.**

~September 1st, 1976, Hogwarts Station~

"I've had a chat with Tuney- and she would really appreciate it if you would be a bridesmaid, Lily."

Unequivocally, it had been decided. Lily Evans herself had decided, and if Lily Evans _had_ indeed decided, even Lily Evans' insubordinate conscience wasn't thick enough to dispute that fact. What exactly Lily Evans _had_ decided was that she would die before that day arrived.

"I'll think about it." Lily muttered quietly. Quite averse to lying, Lily convinced herself that this did not technically constitute a lie.

Lily did not doubt that she would spend many an hour thinking on the _nature_ of Petunia and Vernon Dursley's engagement. This did not, nevertheless, mean that she would even give being a bridesmaid a second thought, however much her sister would 'appreciate it'. Thus, it was not a lie.

"I'm glad." Mrs Evans beamed kindly, embracing her daughter a final time. "Tuney will be so pleased."

Lily highly doubted that. In fact Lily highly doubted that it was _Tuney's _request at all and not just the well-wishing meddling of her mother. Mrs. Evans had been trying to mend this bridge ever since Lily left for Hogwarts (despite assurance from all parties involved that this was doomed to failure from the start).

"I do wish you'd just talk to her, Lily." Mrs. Evans insisted as her daughter sighed, resigned. Lily should have guessed this was coming. "She'd never admit it, but she misses you terribly."

Steam from the Hogwarts Express billowed and both the younger and older Evans glanced at each other glumly. Lily decided that her mum just didn't quite understand- after all how could she? She was a muggle.

"I should probably go," Lily smiled weakly, finally breaking apart from her mother. "The train's going to be gone any minute."

"You'll write to me every month?" Her mother said as Lily pushed her trolley quickly towards the train. The final whistle blew.

"Every _week_, mum." Lily corrected over her shoulder, tossing her trolley up to the conductor.

"I love you!" Mrs. Evans' emerald eyes glassed over, but her daughter couldn't quite hear through the crowds of distraught goodbyes.

Mrs. Evans waved her daughter off as the Hogwarts Express thundered away from the platform, leaving behind an exceedingly ordinary woman in a sea of exceedingly extraordinary people.

It had been a long summer to say the least; what with all the wedding preparations and obligatory family reunions coupled with a general sense of an impending war on the horizon. What a time to be a muggleborn. Lily had spent the large majority of it sitting in her back garden armoured in factor-fifty dreaming of the days when James Potter's dulcet tones were the most of her worries.

"Evans!" A voice called.

Perhaps a slight re-assessment was in order.

Lily stubbornly continued to push her trolley down the carriage in a futile attempt to ignore the boy away, and with it, the problem. Three minutes in and she was already longing for the sweet, sweet company of Vernon the drill man.

"Evans!" Perhaps if she ignored him, he would simply give up. Desist, dear boy, desist!

"Evans, slow down!" The voice persisted as she grimaced, increasing her pace in an attempt to escape and find Alice. It was, unfortunately, to no avail, because not more than a moment had passed when she felt him gently tap her on the shoulders.

Lily Evans turned around, only to be faced by the oh so familiar smirk of whom she considered to be the biggest twat on the planet. James Bloody Potter.

"Merlin Evans," Potter began breathlessly, his eyes beaming. "The rate you're going, you would think you didn't want to see me."

"Fancy that." Lily muttered lightly.

"You look um," Potter began awkwardly as he ruffled up his scruffy black hair, "Well you look really red."

Potter blinked at her for a moment. That hadn't come out quite right.

"Tends to happen that," Lily began with a polite smile, "When you spend a lot of time in the sun."

"I didn't," He blethered on clumsily, "That's not what I meant. What I meant was..." He trailed off to a halt.

Lily stared at him plainly.

"Where are the rest of you?" She offered feebly, deciding that the sooner she got this over and done with, the sooner she would be able to escape and find her best friend.

"Do you really think I can't do _anything_ on my own?" He asked with a more confident grin, more like the James Potter Lily knew so very well.

"That's pretty much exactly what I think, yeah." Lily quipped, as the sheer fact that James Potter had immediately known who she was referring to was confirmation enough. "Where there is a Potter, there is a Black."

"Fair point." Potter smiled, growing a few inches in confidence. The Hogwarts Express jolted forward in a jerk, launching Lily forwards into Potters chest, and against the window.

"Careful!" Potter caught her as she tried very hard not stomp on his toe.

"I'm fine, " Lily insisted, wanting horribly to be somewhere else, _anywhere _else.

Unfortunately Potter had over a few inches on her and so when she attempted to stand upright, she bashed her head straight up into his jaw.

"Sorry!" Lily winced as Potter grunted quietly.

"No, you're alright." Potter offered feebly, although the sudden pitch change in his voice dared to say otherwise. "My fault, entirely."

"I um," Lily began, pressed awkwardly in-between her trolley, the window, and most unfortunately James Potter, not to mention there was something sharp digging into her shoulder. "I better get going."

"Yeah, of course!" Potter insisted with an awkward lopsided grin. "Probably want to find someone you actually enjoy spending time with, right?"

Well, he wasn't wrong.

"Like me, Evans?"

Lily could have happily cried right then and there. She supposed it was only her fault for bringing him up in conversation. Speak of the devil and he shall appear, right?

"No, Sirius." Lily began, tilting her head up to the sky wondering what on earth she had done to deserve this welcome. "You are not a _someone_ who I particularly enjoy spending time with."

"Un clou de mon coeur." Black replied dramatically, clutching his chest. Lily glared at him furiously, desperate to escape, but so unfortunately physically unable to do so.

"Good summer, Padfoot?" Potter asked with a wide grin over the top of Lily's head.

"Obviously not as good as yours Prongs." Sirius Black smirked cheekily as he nudged blatantly towards Lily.

"Merlin, Black! Could you stop it?"

"Stop what?" Sirius chuckled, feigning indignance. "I didn't say anything!"

"Just- stop." Lily pleaded. "Stop it. Stop with your _insinuating_."

"What _insinuating_? I'm not insinuating am I?" Sirius beamed. "Prongs tell your bird I'm not doing anything of the sort."

"_Black!"_ Lily snapped wildly. "Call me his bird again and I _will _throttle you."

"Steady on- at least buy me dinner first-

"_Black_!" She hissed angrily.

"What- no I just didn't have you down as a bird with a…"

Potter elbowed Sirius in the stomach.

He groaned.

"I just meant-" he continued, subtlety perhaps not being his forte. "Evans seems to be appreciating your um- _company."_

"Right." Lily Evans took a deep breath and glared at him. "You know full well, Sirius Black, that I am perfectly capable of hexing your _preferred_ appendage off right here and now, if you suggest one more time, that I was getting off with Potter."

"Who's getting off with Potter?" A third, familiar voice interjected. "He can't have _finally _moved on from Lily." The boy met Lily's eyes. "Oh hi Lily!"

"Remus." Lily relaxed, cheerfully moving to hug him, only to discover that she was still being blocked by Potter.

She cast a pleading glance at Potter, who apparently had not noticed that he was preventing her from moving. He blushed lightly.

"Oh, right." Potter stumbled backwards immediately, allowing her to uncomfortably shimmy past him.

Lily Evans seized her opportunity, opting to give Remus a quick hug and sprint down the carriage. Free at bloody last.

"Merlin Prongs-" Sirius grinned after she was out of sight. "That was the biggest train wreck, I've ever seen."

James glared at Sirius.

* * *

"_Merlin_, It sucks to be back."

The carriage door slammed shut. Lily was in a melodramatic mood. They didn't come often, but she was feeling especially morose today due to not only the _unfortunate _request made by her mother by the _unfortunate _encounter she had just been forced to endure.

"Sometimes I wonder if Potter, Black and my mum go out for tea, with the sole purpose of finding ways to make my life miserable."

"It's lovely to see you too Lily. My summer was great thanks, how was yours?"

Alice Milne was sitting by the window, her light brown hair bobbing about her head nonchalantly as she sat with her legs propped on top of Ophelia Clarke. Alice was reading a copy of witch weekly. Neither of them glanced up. They would say, much to Lily's denial, that her melodramatic moods _were _a regular occurrence.

"Sorry, Alice." Lily's tone was sarcastic, but her grin most definitely was not.

Both Alice and Ophelia finally looked up, and on seeing the grin plastered across her lightly freckled cheeks found it increasingly difficult not to smile.

"Ah come here!" Alice squirmed, leaping into Lily's arms as she twirled around a few times.

Understandably, a lot of squealing ensued. The Gryffindors hadn't seen each other for an entire summer after all.

"Alice- you look amazing!" Lily insisted as all three of them finally sat down in the carriage.

"Doesn't she?" Ophelia grinned. Substantially taller than both Alice and Lily, some would perhaps argue that the girl was more conventionally attractive with her heavily chiselled features and slender build. "I keep telling her, her hair looks gorgeous short but she won't listen to me."

"I look like a pasty Victorian chimney-sweep." Alice said as she ran her hands self-consciously through her cropped golden hair.

Lily chuckled. "All you need is the cap and soot and you're set-"

"Sod off, Lily!" Alice laughed clipping her around the head with her magazine. "At least I don't look like a sunburnt tomato."

"Oi!" Lily giggled as she tried to block herself from another hit.

"Well I think you look very _cool_." Ophelia said matter of factly, as she propped up her own caramel hair. She was wearing it natural and frizzy, glowing against her russet skin. "More Vogue than Victorian boy."

"She said nothing about looking like a boy!" Lily shot with a meddlesome smirk.

"You're right, I didn't!" Alice laughed loudly. "Are _you_ saying I look like a boy?"

"I give up." Ophelia spat as she layed herself down along the other carriage seat. "Next time I won't even bother."

Alice grinned kindly at Ophelia. "I appreciate it, Philly."

"Suck up." Lily spluttered unsubtly.

"What was that Lily?" Alice asked with a blazing smile. "What did you say?"

"Nothing!" Lily laughed, shielding her face once more from the wrath of Witch Weekly.

"Anyway," Alice brushed her off with a light smile, "What's your mum done this time?"

"She just asked me to be a bridesmaid at Tuney's wedding- that's all." Lily groaned, the picture of her in a yellow sundress grimacing as the drill-man kissed the bride came trundling into her mind.

"She didn't!" Ophelia half shrieked, and both Alice and Lily jumped a little. "What a bitch."

"_Very funny." _ Lily hissed as Alice tried not so hard to stifle a giggle. "Vernon, her bloke, he's a nightmare. He likes me just about as much as I like Potter."

"He's in love with you then?" Ophelia chuckled as she rummaged around her bag for something.

"_Merlin _I've missed your wit." Lily quipped. "He's about as intelligent as a ladle and as interesting as a stick, the foul git."

Lily thought that was rather harsh on sticks.

"Think Mulciber- but thicker." Lily expanded as Ophelia quietly applied some lip-gloss.

"That bad?" Alice asked.

"Speaking of foul gits," Ophelia sparked suddenly, "Have you heard about Black?"

Her tone was coy, Ophelia was well known for taking pleasure in knowing something otherwise unknown.

"Which one?" Alice replied as she tried in vain to get her hair to stick up a little less. It merely stuck up in the other direction.

"Which one do you think?" Ophelia asked and since she got no reply she said "Sirius- of course!"

"How were we supposed to know?" Lily said indignantly. "Besides- they're all pretty foul if you ask me."

"_Lily,_" Alice insisted, but not too sincerely for even she was mildly aware that the majority of them were indeed foul gits. "Anyway- I thought you were friends with Sirius."

"Yeah," Ophelia elaborated, grinning slightly. "Doesn't stop him from being a foul git though!"

_CRACK!_

The three girls jumped. The Carriage door slammed open, before slamming shut again.

The girl through the window grimaced, her pale skin reddening by the second.

Slowly, but pointedly, the girl hauled the door open.

"James Potter is the most arrogant, self-absorbed, spoilt prick, that I have ever met in my entire life!"

"Well said!" Lily jumped up enthusiastically.

Ophelia groaned. Had Lily not have known any better she would have been offended. But she did know better and so knew, that she was not the target of Ophelia's… affection_. _

In the doorway stood an _extremely_ tantalized Marlene McKinnon. She stormed in; her thick ebony curls bouncing behind her angrily, and collapsed between Alice and Lily. If she was about to have a rant about said boy, Lily was certainly in the mood; after all she was feeling particularly melodramatic today.

"Attention-seeking bint."

It was spat, quietly enough that Marlene McKinnon couldn't hear. But Marlene didn't need an excuse to go in for the kill.

"Merlin, Philly- no need to look so..." Marlene searched for the right word, "Constipated."

Lily thought that she had evidently not found it.

"That's my cue then." Ophelia muttered, as she chucked her lip-gloss into her purse. "See you at the feast girls."

With a glare at Marlene, Ophelia slinked out of the carriage, purse in tow. Lily would have tried to stop her from leaving, if she thought there was any point, but frankly, in this circumstance, there wasn't.

"_Tart._" Marlene spat after Ophelia was out of sight.

With a tiny bit of regret, Lily had remembered that she never did find out what happened to Sirius Black, but no doubt Ophelia would jump at the opportunity to tell her when they got to school.

"Come off it, Marlene." Alice sighed, knowing full well that it was futile to try talking sense into the girl. _No one_ could.

"Where's Emmeline?" Marlene said suddenly; she fumbled around the carriage as if in search. "I could have sworn she was just-"

"I'm here!" A cheerful voice called. A pocket-sized girl stumbled into the carriage, laden with two trunks and a tower of sweets. All that was visible was her distinct thick, sleek, black hair. That was all Lily needed to identify her as her final dorm member: Emmeline Lee.

"Where did you go?" Marlene asked with a chuckle as she tried unloading the drowning girl.

"Found the trolley lady." Emmeline grinned once her head resurfaced. "Hey Lily! Hey-"

The two suitcases clattered onto the floor.

"Emmeline!" Marlene hissed rubbing her foot.

"Sweet Merlin, Morgana and Circe." Emmeline continued utterly obliviously. "What have you done to your poor hair?"

Alice's lips parted slightly.

"Now hold on Emm-"

"You look like a Womble." Emmeline mouthed, her petite expression gaping.

Lily spluttered, half chuckling. She couldn't help it. And although she knew this was an overreaction and by no means true in the slightest, the look on Alice's face was brilliant.

"A What?" Alice frowned. She hadn't the faintest idea of what in the hell a Womble was but she knew that it could not be something flattering.

"They're these muggle-

"So remind me," Lily interrupted with a grin because she could see Alice grip a little tighter onto her magazine. "Why's Potter the most arrogant, self-absorbed, spoilt prick that you've ever met?"

"He's not." Emmeline offered with bright eyes. "Marlene just fancied a dramatic entrance."

Lily didn't blame her. To do so, would be entirely hypocritical.

"Cheers, Lee." Marlene murmured with a glare at her best friend. She was obviously not in the mood to be meddled with. Suddenly, she turned to Lily as if she was about to reveal something incredibly dreadful. "He won't tell me if he got Quidditch captain or not."

"See!" Emmeline insisted. "He's done _literally _nothing!"

Firing her a glare, Marlene McKinnon continued, her eyes flaming with spirit.

"Naturally- it's a load of bollocks I didn't get it." She hissed. Emmeline and Alice stifled giggles, out of decency.

"_Naturally._" Lily agreed with a smirk.

"Institutional Sexism- if you ask me. The Bastards." Marlene had either not caught on or was blatantly ignoring the fact that absolutely none of the other girls in the carriage seemed to care at all.

"_Downright Disgraceful." _Lily chuckled, nodding with an agreeing pair of wide, emerald eyes.

"Richard Tice _obviously _didn't pick me because the only thing he thought I was good for was a shag in the bloody astronomy tower!"

"_What a prick_!"

"Oh, give it a rest Evans." Marlene huffed. Obviously, she had noticed.

"Technically," Lily began, a mock concerned frown playing at her light lips. "If he did give you Quidditch Captain- wouldn't it be biased _because_ you were (technically) shagging him?"

Marlene thought about it for a moment.

"No." She pursed her lips. "It would have been because I was good enough to be Captain."

"Let me get this straight." Emmeline piped up as she chewed the nose of a Liquorice Wand. "So, you get Quidditch captain, it's on your own merits. You don't, it's because you were shagging the old captain."

Marlene blinked, and then nodded. It made perfect sense to her and she didn't get why it didn't to the others.

"Right." Emmeline stated sarcastically. "And what's Potter got to do with any of this?"

"Well- he could at least have the decency to put me out of my misery and tell me who's the bloody captain!"

"Poor Bloke," Alice chimed in with a grin. "The one time he decides not to be cocky- he gets rewarded with Marlene McKinnon's wrath."

"You know what?" Marlene hissed. "Since you _obviously _aren't interested in listening to me. I don't have anything left to say to you."

Lily had always thought that Marlene McKinnon was a dreadfully misunderstood girl and she admired her a lot for it. The object of many a boy's affection, on the surface she was boisterous and flirty and curvy and the fact that she seemed entirely un-interested in any of the male population of Hogwarts added an element of challenge. However, underneath it all Lily wondered if she was, just a little bit more of an introvert than she'd ever let on.

It had been easy for Lily to make friends in first year. They were always the five of them, each completely different, yet bound together by a general sense of camaraderie. But then members of the opposite sex became involved and it suddenly became so much more complicated. Ophelia and Marlene had fallen out in fourth year and voila the five of them were split: reluctant victims of a very, very petty divorce.

"What do you think Philly was off to do?" Alice asked curiously.

"More like who." Emmeline cast a sideways glance at Lily. She coughed a little.

"_Emmeline_!" Lily insisted. Subtlety had always been a bit of an issue for Emmeline.

"What?" Emmeline asked wide-eyed. "It's probably true."

"She did look even more like a tart than usual, to be fair." Marlene piped up.

"I thought you weren't talking to us." Emmeline stated gingerly.

Marlene opened her mouth to rebuttal, but quickly snapped it shut again, pouting miserably.

"How come she didn't say anything?" Alice asked, genuinely looking a little upset. "She didn't tell you did she, Lily?"

"No- she didn't." Lily insisted, before shooting Emmeline a glare. "Because there isn't a bloke."

"With Philly, there's always a bloke." Marlene shot quietly.

"Who do you reckon it is?" Emmeline continued with a cheeky grin. Lily was scowling at her now, but the girl had either not, or chosen not to notice.

"Oh I hope it's Richard Taylor from Ravenclaw- he's positively Lovely." Alice sung.

"Two galleons on Andy Blackburn," Emmeline smiled as she leant back into her seat. "I think they went to Hogsmede last year together and Lily didn't you catch them snogging on one of your rounds?"

Lily sighed. At least she had _tried_ to be a good friend.

"I doubt it." Lily replied quietly. "Philly told me he snogged like a wet dog."

"Well she would know." Marlene quipped. "It's not like a bit of fur would stop her."

They groaned.

"Let it go, Marlene." Emmeline grumbled. Neither Alice nor Lily bothered responding. They hadn't done, for years.

Lily thought it no less a coincidence now, than she had just over a year ago that Marlene and Ophelia had fallen out the day after the Quidditch Cup Final. This was of course because, Ophelia Clarke had spent the majority of said evening wrapped tightly around a very intoxicated Sirius Black. Although not a serial offence, this had evidently not impressed Marlene- in the slightest.

Lily stopped short. A flash of a pointy nose and some greasy hair slipped past the foggy train-compartment window. Her breathing shortened. It couldn't be him. Well she supposed it very well could be. But that didn't mean she was anymore pleased about it being him.

_Merlin, _first Petunia- then Potter and now bloody him! Someone up there was out to get her, and her money was on Salazar Slytherin. Bloody muggleborn hater.

"For the love of Merlin's baggy y-fronts."

He was the last person Lily needed, let alone wanted to see. There was a rap on the door.

"Lily?" He was, as described by many a student, a slimy boy. He poked his head around the corner.

"I'm sorry." Marlene spat, rising in unison with Alice to guard their friend. "Are you lost?"

"Severus, walk away." Alice was shaking. Lily had never seen her like this before.

"Lily, could I walk you to the prefect's meeting?" He continued, ignoring the two girls. He peered over the top of Alice's head because Marlene was far too tall for him to attempt to try the same.

"You misogynistic prick!" Marlene hissed. "She does not need to be _walked _anywhere. Especially by you."

"Look, McKinnon," Severus jeered. "I appreciate you have a inbuilt need for every man in Britain to give you their attention but do you reckon you could put aside your pride and let Lily answer me?"

Marlene reached for her wand. "You complete bas-"

"Marlene. Leave it." Lily whispered. "It's fine. I'll go."

Even though four of the five people there were wise enough to know that it most definitely was not fine.

She didn't dare look at him as she shuffled passed him into the corridor.

"You coming?" Lily inquired.

"Yeah, yes. Of course." He uttered, mildly taken aback as he began to follow her down the corridor.

"Lily?"

"Mhm?"

"Well- Look, could I say something?"

"I don't know- could you?"

"Listen, Lily. I'm sorry."

"You've said."

This was evidently not the response that he was looking for but whatever he was looking for, would have to wait, because unfortunately for Severus Snape, they had reached the prefects cabin.

Lily Evans, however, thought that she was very fortunate indeed. Perhaps Godric _was_ looking out for her somewhere up there. _Unlikely, _she snorted.

They weren't the first there by any means. In fact, Lily was fairly certain that they were the last, and therefore stared unashamedly at as they clattered through the dodgy cabin door. The icy glare shot at her from Snape's sixth Slytherin year counterpart did not go unnoticed. Her name was Elise Cowell. Lily thought that an awfully fitting name for someone who seemed to spend all her spare time scowling at her.

"Sorry- Frank." Lily insisted as she shuffled her way awkwardly over to where an oddly blonder-than-she-remembered Remus Lupin was smiling at her. Huh. She hadn't noticed that earlier.

Frank had written her that summer that he had been made head-boy and was looking petrified as he presented to the group of prefects.

"Ah- shit!" Lily hissed as she tripped over what she presumed to be a Fifth Year Prefect's book. "Have you bleached your hair, Remus?"

"No- course not!" Remus snapped a little taken aback.

"You have, haven't you?" Lily smirked as she ruffled his hair. "Let's have a look!"

"Lils- what- stop it-

"If you're all ready..." A stern but polite voice insisted. Lily shut up awkwardly.

She noted the new head girl- it was Dorcas Meadows, one of the more _alternative_ Ravenclaws Lily had come across. She knew all of two things about the girl. One: She had a strict no nonsense policy. Two: she could produce a bat-bogey hex like no other. James Potter had been used to demonstrate as such at the end of last year (thus leaving Lily with the conclusion that Dorcas Meadows was someone who she should like).

"Sorry- I'm all yours Dorcas." Lily whispered with an apologetic smile. Remus snorted. She jabbed him in the stomach.

It was the usual sort of administrative work, Lily noted vaguely. As usual she would be patrolling with Remus, and as usual they were assigned Thursday evenings every other week.

She wasn't paying much attention because she had, with a quick glance, discovered that Theo Wood, the Ravenclaw prefect in their year had been made Quidditch Captain. He had grown a fair few inches over the summer and the sun agreed with him. Lily cocked her head to the side, wondering briefly if she had been too quick to reject his advances the previous year. When she said _advances_ what she really meant was, advance, singular (if that). An offer to Hogsmede one weekend had vaguely been raised in her presence- but Lily Evans quite liked to entertain the fantasy that he had been madly in love with her all year.

Theo Wood tilted his head upwards. Lily spun her head back to Dorcas like lightning. She fixed her eyes intently on the Head Girl, praying that he hadn't caught her staring.

"Does anyone have any problems with the rota?" Dorcas asked importantly. With a light glimpse over the group she nodded satisfied. "Well that's everything from me- Frank?"

Dorcas lightly placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. With a synchronised glance at each other, Lily and Remus' eyebrows shot up.

"Nope," Frank Longbottom said with satisfied smile. "That's fantastic."

As all twenty-four of the prefects began to trail out of the cabin Remus and Lily wandered up to Frank. Remus clapped him around the back of the shoulders.

"Nice work mate." He grinned, waving briefly to the scraps of administrative parchment.

"Yeah well- from the looks of it, you two better take notes." Frank began cheerfully, flicking his wand and the parchment bundled together. "I've got two galleons on you taking my place next year."

Remus let out a hearty laugh. "Not likely!"

Lily blushed slightly, because she had always hoped a little that it would be her and Remus. They were, she liked to think, the perfect team.

Dorcas walked up behind the pair and lightly tapped Frank on the shoulder. "You ready?"

"Yeah- just give me a sec? I'm just talking to my friends." He responded nonchalantly.

"Okay," Dorcas paused, her face dropping slightly. "See you at school then."

"Okay."

"Or did you want to meet for lunch- to um... discuss?"

"Yeah- or whatever."

"Sounds great. Looking forward to it."

"Brilliant."

Dorcas turned on her heels and stalked out the cabin. Frank was too busy bundling up the parchment or he would have noticed the expressions on Remus and Lily's face. Remus on the one hand was smirking profusely, whilst Lily was looking absolutely horrified.

Frank glanced up. "What?"

"What do you mean, _what_?" Lily insisted bewildered. Remus was still smirking. Bloody boys.

"I mean- what do you want?" Frank offered politely.

"Merlin- boys can be so pathetic sometimes." Lily rolled her eyes, heading for the door before tripping over someone's foot.

"Careful." The tripee insisted catching her waist.

"Cheers. Sorry ab…" She trailed off lightly, her complexion betraying her as she realised who, she had so unfortunately tripped over.

"No worries, Lily." Theo Wood grinned as he let go of her waist and strutted past.

"Cheers! Thank Merlin-for those quick hands!" Lily blethered and her smile faded as quickly as it arrived. Her ivory skin flushed red.

"_Thank Merlin for those quick hands_?" Remus repeated incredulously. To his credit, he did not laugh.

"Shut up, Remus." Lily shot quickly, but she was smiling a little too.

"_Quick hands_, Lily? _Really_?" Remus chuckled as he ruffled the red-haired girls' hair slightly. "Don't think Wood has any doubt about what's on your mind anymore."

"You're so idiosyncratic Remus." Lily snapped as she linked her arm with his. They walked out into the train corridor together and it was just beginning to get a little dark outside.

Lupin frowned. "I don't think you know what that word means do you?"

"No, you're right." Lily chuckled lightly, tugging a strand of her red hair behind her ear. "I just kind of hoped you wouldn't either- it sounded really insulting in my head."

"Would've worked on Sirius," Lupin grinned, and it was a kind, lopsided smile. "Not me I'm afraid. I'm far too bright."

Lily snorted. "Well you may or may not be _idiosyncratic _\- but you certainly are not modest."

"Lily?" Remus stopped. He stared down at her seriously.

"What?" Lily voice was suddenly edgy, wary.

"Are you sure you know what _modest_ means? _Gah_!"

Lily had shoved him in the arm, but they were both grinning at each other, glad to be back, in the company of their favourite friend (Not that Lupin would have ever told the marauders that or indeed Lily, Alice).

Remus had at some point gone to find the rest of the marauders and so Lily had decided that it was probably a good idea to change into her robes. She clambered out of the bathroom at the end of the first cabin and nearly, very nearly stormed back in.

"Lily?" His slicked black hair stuck to his face in the heat and he was gazing at her in sallow desperation.

Outside the window, Lily could see that they had just pulled into Hogsmede Station, and she glanced through the glass panes longingly. But she knew she couldn't avoid the git. She was fully aware that she would have to talk to him at some point- but surely she could put it off for a little while longer?

"Lily." His voice was insistent now. "Lily please can we talk?"

Lily glanced around once and was devastated to discover that she could only go backwards, into the loo- or forwards past _him. _It would seem that she had no choice.

"Alright." She sighed. Severus Snape looked at the girl shocked. He hadn't expected it to be quite that simple. Well, he supposed, he had not succeeded in winning her back just yet.

"Come on Snape," He flinched at the use of his family name, "Let's find a carriage."

It hadn't taken long for the students to clear into different carriages and head up towards the looming castle, its turrets towering over the students as they drew nearer and nearer to their home.

Severus Snape thought Lily Evans looked quite dazzling in the moonlight, not that he thought otherwise during the daylight. But there was something about the way her emerald eyes glistened venomously; they were definitely a Slytherin's eyes he had decided.

"Come on," Lily began as she clambered into one of the few remaining carriages. "This one's free."

Severus obediently followed, and sat down in the seat diagonally opposite to her. Lily supposed that he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. And she appreciated that, at least.

It dawned on her that this was the first time she had been alone with Severus for months, and she meant fully alone. It was easy enough to pretend she hated him when she was surrounded by her friends, when he was surrounded by _his. _But now it was truly just them, and Lily was not entirely sure how she felt about that.

"What do you want from me Snape?" Lily finally murmured softly. She was trying hard to meet him but his charcoal grey eyes were refusing to glance upwards.

"I want to apologise." He blurted out quickly. "Truly, and properly."

Lily shrugged as if to say, go ahead, the floor's all yours, _prick. _

"You have to know Lily," Snape pleaded, his voice trembling with desperation, "I would never have said something like that if it hadn't been for Potter!"

Lily wanted to shriek.

But instead she spoke stiffly. "And there it is, Snape."

"And there what is?" He asked longingly.

"The reason I'm struggling to forgive you- I'm trying here, I'm trying so hard to give you an out but-"

"But what?" He begged.

"You have to blame Potter. You can't just simply admit it was your own fault-"

"Potter's a swine!" He spat resentfully.

"It's not about Potter!" Her voice cracked suddenly.

"There's no doubt that Potter's an arrogant bastard." Lily thought she resented the way Severus looked up hopefully as she uttered those words. "But this is about you. And how you called me a… a… I can't even say it!" Snape tried to speak up but Lily wasn't letting him. "I gave you thousands of chances to break up with your _disgusting_ death eater friends, Merlin I even stopped seeing my friends for you! But you didn't take them. Even now you can't take responsibility. How could I not see it before?"

Lily paused.

"And that is why I will never forgive you."

Severus finally raised his coal eyes to meet hers, but she was glaring past them, choosing to look straight through him. Lily Evans rarely lied. This was a lie, but the boy hadn't noticed.

_Crack._

They glanced up suddenly.

Both burly and brutish, the boys were obviously expecting to see the two occupants about as much as the occupants were them. Lily Evans had not even noticed that the carriage had remained stationary for their entire conversation. And now she wished she had, because after the initial shock, she recognised the boys, and they sure as hell recognised her.

"Severus." The taller boy, Evan Rosier sneered curtly. "And Miss Evans."

His soulless eyes flashed quickly as they passed her. The two seventh years clambered into the seats; Rosier next to the girl; Mulciber next to the boy.

"I'll go." Lily snapped up quickly. She flinched. Rosier had grabbed her wrist.

"Come now, there's no need for that." Rosier insisted slowly, a cruel smile playing at his lips. "We're all friends here."

Lily did not consider herself by any means unintelligent. Reckless? Perhaps. But not unintelligent. Lily was therefore well aware that this could turn nasty very quickly and brilliant as she was, she didn't reckon she could guarantee that this would be a two on two fight, and not a three vs. one. She didn't fancy her chances, so she nodded politely before sitting down.

Thump.

Holding her breath she trembled as Rosier leant over her, tapping the carriage with his wand. With a jolt, it set off.

"Miss Evans, I must say," Rosier leant towards Lily's ear, his hot breath prickling against the side of her neck. "That you are truly looking ravishing this year. I can finally see why Severus is so… enraptured."

Thump. Thump.

The carriage jolted suddenly as it tumbled over a pothole. Severus was looking out of the window, anywhere away from his friend. Lily narrowed her eyes, though in pity or in rage she wasn't sure. _Coward._

Slowly, but surely, she felt a cold hand land gently on her thigh.

Thump. Thump.

"Remove. Your. Hand."

Two strikes.

One. Lily dug her wand into Evan Rosier's scalp.

Two. Mulciber snapped up, wand drawn in an instant.

"Why you filthy little-"

"It's alright, Fergus." Rosier interjected, his eyes flashed something menacing. Lily would never have admitted it, but right there, in that moment, that was the first time Lily Evans feared for her life.

"Miss Evans is just," He paused and curled his lip into a tight snarl, "Having a little fun."

Lily could feel the blood flooding up to her forehead, clouding and obscuring her view. She wasn't sure if it was panic or deliria but she could feel herself pleading and begging Severus to do something, _anything, _if only he would just meet her eyes.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

They were all stagnant for a moment. In a stalemate. Lily's wand pressed firmly against Rosier's skull, Mulciber's at Lily's. Her breathing was heavy, weighted and any plan she could be forming to escape was merely a twinkle in her eye.

If Lily's heart wasn't thumping so bloody loudly, she might have been able to hear a gentle pattering on the roof. She would have worked out that no it was not rain, it was something heavier, something more like hooves. But alas, she didn't, and so, rather rashly, Lily set off.

_"__Confringo!" _She hissed as the carriage walls blasted off into the night and the wheels skidded to a halt.

Mulciber and Rosier were momentarily bewildered. Only momentarily.

Lily lunged for the gaping hole. Her jaw smashed the bottom of carriage. Something had gripped onto her ankle. Her head was spinning. A thick metallic taste was seeping into her mouth. As if in slow motion she watched her wand clatter away into the thick dirt below. She realised her mistake.

"Turn around- you bitch!" A coarse voice hissed. Lily screamed. "_Silencio!"_

She screamed again. At least, she tried screaming but only pain came- pain and the taste of rust. She clutched her abdomen as her body was rolled onto her back. Her eyes burned as she came face to face with the boy. Rosier was menacing now, his thick black eyebrows drenched in sweat, his face clenched in rage.

In a flash, she felt it on her face. The spit engulfed her features, blinding her temporarily. Her cheeks reddened in humiliation. She raised an enraged arm to her eyes but screamed in agonising pain as Rosier dug his thick-heeled boots into her wrist, crushing it into the carriage floor. Of course no sound had escaped her lips at all.

Rosier's lips curled once more. "If you would, Mulciber."

Lily froze. His voice it was chilling, bitter and terrifying, and she was wandless.

"_Rosier! Please!" _A strangled voice pleaded. "You'll only get us in trouble."

About bloody time Lily cursed angrily, but she knew that it would do her little good.

Mulciber had raised his wand, and casting a brief glance between Rosier and Snape. He sided with the former.

_"__Crucio!" _


	2. The Red Stag

**AN- Hello again! Sorry it's been a while so you might want to read the first chapter again (which I have updated slightly) :) It's all a bit nerve racking, but I should be posting more regularly now. So here's chapter two: I hope you like it just as much as Chapter 1- or maybe you'll like it even more? Thank you so much to you faithful three who have reviewed and everyone who has favourited and followed. I'll try not to waffle too much, but please please please keep reading. I have big plans... Stay safe x -Elle**

* * *

**Chapter 2 - The Red Stag**

It's funny how these things tend to happen. Well maybe not funny _as such _but quite remarkable- all the same.

It starts (as incidentally all things do) with the Theory of Causation. This is that, being contingent and all, each effect is in turn caused; and equally each cause is in itself an effect. Every cause has a cause; every effect has an effect.

Or, in layman's terms, if Peter Pettigrew hadn't smuggled firewhisky under his cloak on the first day of his fourth year, Lily Evans might have seriously never made it to Hogwarts that Evening. But of course he did, and therefore so did she…

**7.30pm June 7****th**** 1975 **

"Padfoot- you complete nonce!" James hissed.

His coal-black hair was still soaked, sticking-up haphazardly in all sorts of which ways. He just _knew _if Lily Evans had been there, she'd have taken superfluous gratification in mocking him for looking like he'd just hopped off a broom. To which he'd wittily reply, that actually, he had just hopped off a broom, thank you very much. She would then of course giggle reverently at his charming retort and then-

James Potter snapped back to the problem at hand. He couldn't afford momentary… distractions.

"What the hell were you thinking?" It was Moony this time, his eyes were sore and hollow because of course, the full moon was in two days.

"I'm sorry- alright!" Sirius shouted, raising his hands backwards in indignance because he was just about able to admit that he might, perhaps have screwed up, _this time_. "I wasn't thinking!"

"This is the end." James muttered dramatically. "The end of the Marauders as we know it-"

"_Prongs_." Remus interrupted.

"It's social suicide. We've committed social suicide." James said. He was pacing now. He never paced. Merlin knows what _Lily _would think of him when she found out.

"Prongs- are you listening?"

He could just see her face. Disappointed at his inability to follow through on a single promise.

"Prongs! Get a grip mate!" Remus shouted. James Potter snapped back once more to reality.

"_Get a grip?"_ James repeated incredulously. "_GET A GRIP? _I'm sorry, _Moony_, but if you haven't noticed- we, the marauders, have promised a _bloody_ brilliant victory party for the _bloody_ great feat of winning the _bloody_ incredible Quidditch cup. But _bloody_ Padfoot over here has taken it upon himself to drink the entirety of our _bloody_ stash- to impress some bird!"

Sirius let out a low whistle. "That's a lot of blood, Prongs."

James shot his best friend a hostile glare.

"They're all down there-" James gulped as he glanced towards their dormitory door. "Waiting for us to bring the booze. But we have none. Absolutely fuck all. Zero."

Remus collapsed backwards on to his bed. It squeaked a little. Sirius just looked vaguely remorseful.

_"__We had a good run." _Remus muttered lightly as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Oi you lot- what are you doing sulking up here?" A voice squeaked from the Dormitory door. A shorter than average boy, his sandy-haired fringe obscured his beady eyes almost entirely.

"Pete- are we screwed?" James asked rather over-dramatically as he ran through a series of worst-case scenarios. He grimaced as he visualised the moment when he was to come face to face with a disappointed auburn, dreamy eyed-

"No it's brilliant!" The short one grinned, and for the first time, James Potter noticed that Peter Pettigrew was swaying slightly. "Everyone's missssing the man-f the hour though."

Under usual circumstances, James Potter would be flattered, after all he and the quaffle had practically destroyed the Slytherins singlehandedly _and_ he was only in fourth year. But now was not the time for self-indulgence.

"So- everyone's enjoying themselves-" James potter shook his head puzzled, both Sirius and Remus had propped themselves up and were looking at the fourth marauder curiously. "Alcohol-less?"

Wormtail cackled as if he had just suggested something utterly ridiculous.

"No -course not, P- Prongs" Pettigrew sung. He was slurring and lilting very seriously now. "What d'ya take us for- _Ravenclaws?_"

Apparently this was the funniest thing in the world to him because Peter Pettigrew was now clutching his stomach, keeled over from the laughter whilst his three best mates looked on at him wildly.

"But where did they get the…" Remus trailed off quietly. At least he was fairly sure the Seventh year Gideon Prewitt had put the marauders on securing drink for the party- it was to be an initiation of sorts. "Booze?"

"Oh!" Peter squealed, and he began to hop up and down as if he knew the answer to a question McGonagall had just asked him. "It was I!"

"You- Pete?" Sirius asked disbelievingly.

He giggled conspiratorially clapping an arm on James' shoulder. "I sm- smuggled firewhisky under my cloak the first day of school. Didn't tell any of you lot because I _knew_ Sirius would slosh it."

Sirius began to protest but James and Remus sent him a stifling glare.

"So- when you were at the match- Sorry Prongs I didn't actually watch you play- but heard you played smashingly." He paused to catch himself. "Anyway, then I used a simple duplicating charm- Easy." He waved his hands in a sort of ta-da way, and looked mildly disappointed when he wasn't met with applause.

"Merlin Pete," Sirius began dazed, his grey eyes wide with joy. "I have never wanted to kiss anyone so much as I do right now!"

"Please don't." Peter Pettigrew stated deadpan but smiled excitedly when all three of the marauders hugged him and praised him and slapped him on the back and for the first time since he came to Hogwarts, he felt like he had done something that had mattered.

"Let's go get pissed!" Sirius thrust the air in excitement and the marauders charged down the common room below, the raging party already in full stride.

**9.30pm, Later that Evening**

James Potter wasn't _really _an arrogant boy, but he was of the order that it was perfectly appropriate to appreciate one's own talents- like his natural prowess on the Quidditch pitch, or his affinity for Defence Against the Dark Arts or- but that was beside the point. This victory party was for _him. _Well alright, not explicitly for him, but Wormtail had said it himself- _he_ was the man of the hour. _He _had won the Quidditch Cup

But despite this, despite the copious amounts of Ogden's firewhisky poisoning his liver, he was thoroughly miserable. _He _had won the Quidditch Cup, not _him_. _He _was the hero of Gryffindor at fifteen! Not _him. _So why, when James Potter had scowered the marauder's map, he had discovered Lily Evans in the Library with Severus Snape, he could not remotely comprehend. He had spent the entire evening worrying about how Lily would react to their potential disaster, but she hadn't even bothered to turn up when he had saved the day. _All right when Peter _saved the day. But still, how selfish of her.

He was almost going to give up on the whole thing entirely and go to bed when something large ran straight into him. No- he wasn't sure it was a something. More like a someone.

"Oh, Hi Marlene." He greeted glumly, looking up at the girl (because at that stage Marlene had reached her full height potential of 5"9 but the majority of boys in her year, including James, were still hoping to start growing).

"H- hi J-ames." Marlene looked politely at him, trying incredibly hard not to burst into tears in front of _him, _of all people. Marlene wasn't a crier, and there was absolutely no way that she would be changing that in the presence of James Potter. She tugged a strand of her ebony hair behind her ear in an attempt to brush away any attention from her puffy eyes.

Now, James was a teenage boy. However, he did pride himself on not being _entirely_ oblivious to the world around him. He supposed he could be quite empathetic if he really wanted.

So on noticing her puffy eyes, considerately asked, "What's got your wand in a knot?"

Marlene gaped at him. How insensitive, she thought. But her eyes gave her away as they settled on a very particular sofa.

James' jaw dropped. "Is that my best mate- getting with the fittest bird in the year?" Well fittest bar one, he mentally added, but that was of no consequence now because he was feeling immensely proud of Sirius.

_CRACK._

James Potter's hand immediately reached to his extremely sore and extremely red face.

"Oi!" He snapped violently. "What the fuck was that for, McKinnon?"

And only when she sobbed did it dawn on him. He had been a complete tosser. Marlene McKinnon had fancied Sirius Black, and had just witnessed her best friend Ophelia Clarke, _wandering_ all over him. His mind flicked to if the roles had reversed. If _he _had seen Sirius and _her. _Merlin he wanted to slap himself too.

**Midday-ish September 1st 1976 **

"_God_ she's a witch." Ophelia Clarke slammed the door shut.

Moony was in the prefect's carriage already and as he looked over at Padfoot and Wormtail, James Potter was relieved, because they looked just about as interested as he felt.

There was no doubt whatsoever about whom she was referring to.

"Funny, that." Sirius muttered gloomily. "Does she carry a wand too- and a broomstick?"

Ophelia scowled.

In every other mood, James Potter tolerated spending time with Ophelia Clarke. She was fit, mildly intelligent, occasionally funny, and of course extremely close with a particular- James scolded himself. He had sworn not to let his mind wander there this year.

He had tried talking to her that morning, to apologise more than anything. Although, talking was a loose term because all he had been was a bumbling idiot. But that didn't matter much anyway, because Sirius Black, who was supposed to be his best mate, not a severe cock-blocker, had rocked up and royally screwed everything up. _Entirely._ But that didn't matter now, because now there was another problem at hand.

Unfortunately, Ophelia Clarke was in the sole mood, which every single marauder detested. It was Remus who was friends with Clarke anyway, James thought bitterly. And he wasn't even there, so why should they have to deal with her?

"Not like _that _Black." Ophelia snapped. "Marlene McKinnon is a hedonistic bitch with a fetish for shagging anything with a pulse."

"Sure you're not talking about Sirius?" James piped up with a vague smirk.

"Oi!" Sirius bellowed half-heartedly. "Just because you're still bitter that I rejected your advanc-"

"Not half as bitter as you were when Kreacher rejected yours."

"Touché Prongs," Sirius half-grinned. "That really did scar me."

"I remember well- you were in tears for weeks!" James looked off into the distance as he pretended to reminisce.

"I'm surprised you remember _anything _from last year because you were so distracted trying to screw Lil-

"Boys!" Ophelia glared at them both impatiently.

James shot Padfoot a murderous glare.

"Now back to my impending problem with a certain _slag._"

James much preferred Marlene anyway.

**Almost Present September 1st 1976 **

And that of course was how James Potter had ended up taking the scenic route to Hogwarts that evening, instead of the warm, cosy and efficient one in the carriage.

Sirius Black got with the bird once- just once! Yet, he, _James_, was forced to suffer the repercussions over a year later. There had been four spaces in the carriage, and seeing as the marauders had been joined by a rather _unwelcome_ visitor, James had done the chivalrous thing, and offered to walk. (Not that he didn't feel a small sense of relief when he realised he wouldn't have to spend another minute in Ophelia Clarke's company).

He was never letting Sirius Black, _the oblivious git_, get with another bird again. Even if she was fit.

And that's when he saw it. He wished he hadn't. It was definitely _her _and _him. _James watched on resentfully as the greasy-haired sallow-faced git clambered onto the carriage after _her._

It was none of his business, James reminded himself. She had made that very clear at the end of last year. Lily Evans had every right to go off gallivanting with Muggleborn-hating dark lord-defending Slytherins. Why should he care?

Except of course he did.

It took every fibre of his being, but he managed it. He turned away from the carriage, forced his limbs to step towards the woods, but his head was turned once more.

James recognised the two brutish boys immediately: Rosier and Mulciber. James supposed that Snape was a death eater (mostly out of childish resentment for the boy, not because he actually believed it), but James _knew _that these two were. Well, she was just _asking _to be murdered now, wasn't she?

James Potter cursed Lily Evans and jerked into action. He thought very hard, clenching his fists together, biting down on his teeth as he kicked off into a run. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, he kicked off into a gallop.

James cursed as he charged after the carriage. He had sworn he would leave her behind this year! He had bloody promised himself! He couldn't even get to Hogwarts without having to chase after her. Spurred on by his anger, the stag leapt onto the roof of the carriage.

"_Confringo!" _

The door blasted off the side of the carriage as Prongs bucked backwards. He needed to change back, _now. _

"Turn around- you bitch!" A course voice hissed and Prongs felt the blood boil within him as he heard the shattering screech of the flailing girl. "_Silencio._"

Her shrieks ceased.

James clenched his face tightly; everything blurred and morphed as he tried desperately to return to his human form. He heard the vague whimper of the slithering git but thought little of it as he reached around him fumbling madly for his wand and glasses.

_"__Crucio!"_

And that is where we find ourselves once more. Because ultimately, if Peter Pettigrew hadn't smuggled in that bottle of firewhisky, the party would not have been saved; if the party hadn't been saved, Sirius might not have gotten with Ophelia Clarke; if Ophelia Clarke hadn't earned herself the wrath of Marlene McKinnon, she wouldn't have joined the Marauders in their carriage that day; if she hadn't joined the marauders, James wouldn't have walked.

No. James thought. Not Lily.

_"__Stupefy!" _

Mulciber looked stunned, as his wand clattered onto the carriage floor followed by his limbs.

"Potter?" Rosier hissed viciously his wand hand snapping up. Severus Snape was nowhere to be seen.

"Rosier." James whispered curtly from the forest outside, his wand pointed at him in retaliation. Lily was laying senseless along the carriage between them- the cruciatus curse being feeble and swift, she was conscious, barely, but still conscious.

"Come to rescue your filthy little mudblood?" Rosier's voice dripped in disdain.

"No- just fancied a chat actually." James stated humourlessly, his hand clutching onto his wand. A bead of sweat dripped decadently down the side of his brow onto the pale ivory skin of Lily Evans. Her hand twitched, hanging off the side of the carriage.

"Witty- Potter." Rosier snarled. James fumbled around with his feet across the forest floor. "Pity the Dark Lord doesn't favour wizards for their wit."

James snorted.

"Clearly." Too easy. He raised his left foot, Lily Evans' wand balancing on its tip.

"Yes, well." Rosier's eyes flashed angrily. "Your stunning spell will wear off soon and it will be two against one. Not even you are arrogant enough to believe that you could single-handedly defeat _two_ death eaters."

Mulciber mumbled something, as his broad shoulders began to twitch.

"Ah- well." James Potter began, his eyes glistening slightly. "That's where you're severely mistaken, my friend.

"_Sonorous! _Now Evans!"

Lily sprung into action as James ducked below Rosier's line of sight.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Lily shrieked and Rosier's startled wand leapt out of his hand.

"Evans- come on!" James hissed, grabbing her by the wrist as they sprinted towards the front of the carriage. They didn't have much time.

"_Stupefy_!" the green sparks narrowly shot by James' neck instead shattering a branch beside him.

"_Rictusempra_!" Lily shot back blindly over her shoulder. The lack of response indicated she had missed.

"_Reducto_!" James bellowed angrily and the carriage tug blew apart wildly.

"What are you doing?" Lily shrieked as the spell was aimed nowhere near the Slytherins behind them.

"Shut up Evans." James Potter snapped as he chucked her into the air.

"JAMES POTTER!" Lily screeched, airborne, before landing atop something scaly. "What in the-

"_Stupefy_!" The sparks grazed James' nose.

James was clambering blindly onto whatever she was sitting on quickly, his face ridden with panic. With a kick they were off.

Lily jolted backwards into James, screaming wildly, as the invisible creature beneath them thundered through the moonlit forest, her mind numb and swirling around her, the wind thrashing past her, as James shot hexes into the shadowy nothingness behind them reassuring her something about thestrals.

Breathless, she descended the creature, furious and frustrated and fully able to hex something into oblivion. At the Entrance to Hogwarts Castle, Lily Evans' face was a scarlet rivalling that of her hair.

"What the hell was that Potter?" Lily shot finally as she stormed through the hollow courtyard.

"What the hell was what?" Potter yelped indignantly, he had very visibly snapped his nose.

"You…" Lily clenched her jaw tightly, an effort to keep herself from quite literally biting his head off.

"Oh you mean- saving your life!" Potter bellowed snarkily as he tried to catch up with the girl.

The were in a deserted corridor now, what with everyone being at the welcoming feast, and Lily was quite certain that if she so desired, she could hex Potter as much as she wished and his body wouldn't be discovered for quite some time.

On seeing his cracked nose, blood eviscerating off his blotchy face, she decided against it.

"Hold still-"

"He was bloody assaulting you!"

"Hold still-"

"What was I meant to do? Watch? Who the Fu-"

"For the love of Merlin, hold still!"

James blinked at her blankly.

"_Episkey_!"

"Gah!" Potter keeled over, clutching his nose. "What the fuck, Evans?! Trying to kill me?!"

"Merlin, grow up a little!" Lily hissed, her red hair splayed wildly around her bruised face resembling something of a savage creature.

Potter grimaced sulkily. "Thanks."

Lily shrugged.

"Are you alright?" Potter muttered tepidly. "After the…" He trailed off.

"Yeah, um." Lily began awkwardly as a chill swept up her arms. "Mulciber's an incompetent magician- it would have hurt more if it was Rosier doing the um- the crucio-ing.

You wouldn't mind not telling anyone about…"

"Evans of course I have to tell Dumbledore! You could have been killed!" Potter's eyes were wide with worry and sincerity.

If Lily Evans didn't know Potter as well as she did, she would have been mildly touched. But alas, she did. And so they stood in a vacuum of blissful silence for a moment, before Lily came to her senses again.

"GAH! WHAT!" She shoved him. "WERE!" She chucked her wand at him. "YOU! THINKING!"

Thus began the chaos.

"I was doing fine until you-

"Well I'm sorry I thought-

"So rudely interrupted, and if you didn't have-

"Saving your life was-

"Such a bloody hero complex and-

"A good idea because _obviously-_

"Had half an ounce of common sense-

"You're so conceited and stubborn that you were-

"I wouldn't have needed rescuing-

"Thick enough to be in that situation-

"IN THE FIRST PLACE!" They shrieked in unison.

"Ugh!" They yelled, both resisting the overwhelming urge to shove each other.

Lily stormed off first.

"Well, you're welcome!" Potter spat behind her.

"Oh, get over yourself Potter!" Lily responded with a military salute of her middle finger.

_Merlin- _She couldn't stand that boy. He was arrogant, entitled and bloody pretentious. Marlene McKinnon hadn't just hit the nail on the head that morning she had absolutely obliterated it. Lily Evans just couldn't comprehend how someone could be so absolutely moronic that they just went around in their spare time _saving _people's lives and then acting all noble about it.

And she told the Fat Lady about as much as well. The others hadn't returned from the feast and so she had resorted to complaining to a non-sentient being.

"Please dear- just say the password!" The Fat Lady spat viciously after the Evans girl went around the same rant. _Again._

"No!" Lily snapped, her face red and blotchy. "Why should I say the password? There's no rule that says I _have _to say the password. In fact- there's absolutely no reason I should say the password!"

"Excuse me?"

"What?!" Lily snapped as she whipped around to face the source of the noise. Her face softened slightly as she faced a younger student whose name she couldn't quite place. "Sorry."

"No, no. That's okay." The boy bumbled along timidly. "You're Lily Evans, right?"

Lily nodded warily. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she realised that she had just snapped at someone quite undeserving of her wrath.

The boy took this as leave to go on. "Um- Professor McGonagall told me to tell you that Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office."

Lily bit her lip. Running her hands through her matted hair, the only thought running through her mind was that she was going to murder James Potter.

"Is- Is that everything?" The little boy squealed.

"What?" Lily sighed, not quite hearing him in her frustration.

"Can I go?" He looked up wide-eyed.

"Oh sorry- yeah of course." She said smiling feebly. He turned to go. "Wait- what's your name?"

"Oh, um. Ollie." He said shyly.

"Thanks, Ollie." She smiled because she knew well the importance of a name. That's why she refused to use Potter's.

Speaking of which… She stormed towards Dumbledore's office: Angry, frustrated and with a slight inclination towards committing a homicide.

Lily's auburn hair flashed in a fury of flames as she saw the distinctive lid of obnoxiously broom-swept hair step out of Dumbledore's office stairway. His thick eyebrows knotted as Lily's shoes clacked angrily against the stone floor.

"Potter!" She spat across the corridor before squaring up to the bewildered boy. They were so close that their noses would have brushed if Lily had been seven inches taller.

"Evans." Potter swallowed nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"How dare you?" Lily's voice was hollow, menacing.

"Merlin, not this again." He breathed darkly.

"_Yes_ this again. You had no right." Lily threatened, her hand fumbling for her wand.

"No- you know what Evans?" Potter shot suddenly, "I had every right!"

"Oh really- why's that?"

"Because you're being selfish Evans!"

"Selfish?" Lily snapped in disbelief.

"Yes! This isn't about you- it's bigger than either of us!" He spat, his brown eyes not teasing or angry- desperate.

"Oh go ahead Potter!" Lily scoffed with outstretched arms "Explain it to the rest of us- cause I'm dying to see why you think that me being assaulted isn't about me!"

"_Merlin _Lily, this isn't about some petty feud between you and two seventh year pricks. There's a war going on outside these walls, and in wars, you make sacrifices!"

"Do you think I don't know that?" Lily shot in horror. "In case you haven't noticed- I'm a muggleborn! I can't afford to go around accusing death eaters of crimes because I live in the constant fear that I'll be jumped on my way back from Herbology. We can't all be you, because we don't all have the luxury of a vault of gold or pure, un-afflicted blood. If I want to live through this war? I shut my mouth."

"No, you don't-"

"_Yes_, I do Potter!" Lily snapped.

"_No, _you don't." Potter hissed, his eyes flaring. "Stay silent, or shout his bloody name from the Astronomy tower for all I care because you and I both know Voldemort has a curse with your name on it either way."

Lily tried not to flinch as the boy spat his name.

"So you may as well do the other muggleborns in this school a favour by reporting Mulciber and Rosier- even if it puts you at risk." He finished quietly.

Lily resentfully looked up at his red cheeks. They stared at each other for a brief silent moment.

"How much did you tell Dumbledore?" Lily said softly.

"Nothing." Potter answered.

"I don't believe you."

"Fine by me."

"Fine."

Potter took a blank step backwards. "You're a lot of things, Evans. But I never took you for a coward."

Something jolted within her. Lily blinked as Potter trailed silently out of the corridor. That was out of order. They both knew it. They always insulted each other, this wasn't out of the ordinary, but something about Potter was different this time. He actually meant it.

"In essence, Miss Evans, what happens next is entirely up to you." Dumbledore said reassuringly.

Restless, Lily glanced around the room pausing as she watched Fawkes nip at a tattered leather-bound book on one of Dumbledore's shelves. She could spend an eternity among those books; exploring and wandering amongst their pages in an Elysian state of ecstasy- forgetting about it all. Potter, Tuney, Voldemort.

"Miss Evans?" Dumbledore repeated, his genteel eyes gazing at her curiously.

"Sorry professor." Lily muttered politely. "I don't quite get what you're trying to say."

"Well, unfortunately, without the identity of the attacker, there is very little we can realistically do."

"Right." Lily blinked blankly. "So- what you're saying is that we just forget all about this?" She offered hopefully.

Dumbledore smiled lightly. "No Miss Evans. As I understand it, there are two possible courses of action available to us. The first, you make a formal complaint to the ministry and in such a circumstance you would have my upmost support. The second, is that we simply document my memory of this meeting so that if in future we find ourselves in a similar predicament, we have prior evidence to support the case."

"Oh I really don't think we need to bother the ministry with this!" Lily insisted.

Dumbledore glanced at her. "Are you absolutely cert-

"One hundred percent." Lily laughed nervously. "Besides, it wasn't even really that bad- I'm only lightly bruised."

He paused. "Then what I recommend you do is write a witness statement recording what you experienced in detail. I understand that your memory is obscured and you do not know the identity of the perpetrators, but should either return to you," he cast a knowing look and lily glanced at her hands guiltily. "I should write that down as well. Date it and send it to me by owl, anonymously if you so wish, and it will remain sealed, even from me until that day arrives when it is needed."

"Okay." Lily bit her lip, getting up to leave. "Just out of curiosity sir," Lily said tentatively. "How much did Potter tell you?"

"Very little indeed," Dumbledore beamed down his moon shaped spectacles, as he twiddled his wispy beard. "In fact, Mr. Potter seemed to think that it wasn't his place to disclose anything other than his evident concern for you."

"Oh." Lily mouthed. She had expected some heroic recount of his chivalrous and daring rescue of an incapable girl. "Thank you, sir."

"And miss Evans?" Lily spun around as she reached the door. "Never belittle the importance of asking for help. Sometimes admitting defeat is the most courageous thing a person can do."

Lily stared at him for a minute, the guilt of her dishonesty threatening to crawl its way up her throat and manifest itself in an apology.

"Goodnight, professor Dumbledore." Lily said simply as she began to descend the stone escalier.

The walk back up to the Gryffindor common room was bitterer than Lily remembered. She had lied twice; not to mention the intentional witholdal of information and the blatant dishonesty with her own conscience. Merlin, what had stopped her from just trusting Dumbledore? Three words, seven syllables- not a particularly challenging ask for a witch of her calibre. 'Mulciber crucioed me.' That was it. All it would take to expel the deatheater and prevent it from happening to other muggleborns because as difficult as it was to admit, she thought James Potter was right. What if she was being selfish? What if she was a coward? Lily stopped suddenly. Sweet Morgana she had forgotten about Potter. He didn't even tell Dumbledore what happened. That unnerved her. More than she could say.

"Lily!" Lily beamed as she recognised Remus' voice immediately. A chat with Remus was exactly what she needed right now. The familiar warmth of the Gryffindor common room was empty save a few stragglers on the various plush sofas and armchairs.

She spun around eagerly. Her face dropped.

"Evans." Potter said surprised. He kind of hopped up awkwardly from a worn-out sofa.

"Potter." Lily said, equally as awkwardly. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks and was only slightly reassured by the dishevelled blush that the boy adorned.

"Black!" Sirius chimed in with a lopsided grin as he glanced between the two; Lily snapped back into focus. James Potter awkwardly sidled back down. Remus snorted.

"Uh-" Lily mouthed quietly as she glanced around the group once. "I should be getting to bed."

"Nonsense, Evans." Sirius smirked as his black hair swooped backwards elegantly. "There's space next to Prongs."

The boy shot a glare at his best friend. Lily glanced over. There was indeed space next to the said boy. It would be rude to refuse. Then again she had been rude to him plenty today and figured what the hell- why not go full out?

"Goodnight Remus." Lily sighed before glumly climbing upstairs.

She wasn't sure what to do with herself, she just felt so deflated. In essence her day had pretty much been routine. Ward off a few Slytherins, argue with Potter, and chat with Severus. The only difference being that the stakes were so much higher. She supposed, that's what it felt like to be at war. And this, she thought, was a war she would lose either way.

"Where've you been? You missed the Feast!"

Lily glanced up dazedly as she reached to door to her dormitory. It was Alice. There were six beds, one more than she was used to seeing, not that she had noticed. Ophelia was on the one nearest to the door, followed shortly by a loudly punch-drunk Emmeline and Marlene.

"Been riding Thestrals." Lily explained absentmindedly.

"Riding what?" Alice asked confused as she motioned her best friend to join her on her dormitory bed. Alice's head was wrapped in a shower turban and she was painting her toenails a shade of sunny yellow.

Lily smiled softly because it felt natural to be back, away from home, and away from how tiring the summer holidays had been.

"Never mind." Lily shook her head lightly. "Oh I'm sorry you must think I'm so rude!" Lily jumped up, noticing a sixth, unknown person hovering stiffly in the room.

"Just a little." The girl smiled curtly.

Alice and Lily blinked at each other.

"I'm Lily Evans." Lily tried again with a smile as she reached out a hand.

The girl stared down her pointed nose as if considering it, then deeming it clean enough, took it and shook it gently.

"Freya Silva. I'll take this bed." She added pointing to the bed that usually belonged to Lily. The girls ignored her, as she wandered into the bathroom.

Lily glanced up at Alice, lost for words.

"She's new." Alice muttered quietly. "Daughter of the Brazilian Ambassador. She's um…"

"Spoilt?" Lily offered with a raised eyebrow.

Alice deliberated this. "I was going to go with used to a certain lifestyle…" She winced. "But spoilt works fine too."

Lily and Alice began to laugh.

"And yes," Ophelia hissed as she wandered over to the bed, "She's been like that all evening."

"_Oh Fucking Nargles_!" Emmeline shrieked loudly.

"What- what's happened?" Alice snapped up quickly to where Emmeline was standing, mildly put out.

All the girls followed in suit, crowding around the other girl. She was standing, wide-eyed, against the end of her bed, staring blankly into the open suitcase in front of her.

"This isn't my suitcase." Emmeline breathed lightly.

"What do you mean- it isn't your suitcase?" Ophelia mouthed dumbly.

"I mean, Philly, that this suitcase in front of me, is not mine. It does not belong to me. It belongs to someone else!"

Both Lily and Marlene collapsed into a fit of contained giggles.

"How did you manage that?" Lily breathed when she did eventually come up for air.

"Well I didn't do it on purpose!" Emmeline yelped indignantly.

"You must have taken some muggle's off the tube by accident." Marlene muttered disbelievingly as she began to sift through the items in the suitcase. She lifted up a piece of clothing. "What the fuck is this meant to be?"

"Why'd you use a muggle suitcase- not a trunk?" Alice asked as if it were the most ridiculous thing in the world.

"Well I didn't exactly want to look like a nutter with a trunk and an owl on the underground- did I?" Emmeline snapped disbelievingly.

"Sorry- just trying to be helpful." Alice walked away and sat on her own bed.

"Does that mean some muggle's running around London with your case?" Lily asked suddenly, realising the implications.

"Oh shit." Emmeline snapped up. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!"

Marlene found this the funniest thing in the world and simply burst into another fit of giggles.

"I do love you Emmeline." Marlene chuckled as she patted her friend on the back.

"Excuse me," Freya Silva had just walked out of the bathroom. "Where is my House-elf?"

"Your what?" Ophelia asked in disbelief. The girls all stared at her in awe.

"My House-elf?" She snapped. "To wash my hair?"

"Up your Silva arse." Marlene muttered quietly.


	3. The King in Velvet

**AN- Hey! It's been a while- I know I'm sorry. But it has been less of a while this time :) Anyway, here is Chapter 3. I'm not a huge fan of this one but thought I'd post it anyways and if you have any feedback I would ****_really _****appreciate it. Thank you again to the four new reviewers and everyone who has favourited and followed x I hope this chapter does you justice. So here it is I guess. Voila. -Elle x **

**Chapter 3- The King in Velvet**

* * *

Lily jolted awake in a sweat as something thwacked her in the face.

"Wha- " She winked a weary eye open. "Potter –what are you?"

Lily was momentarily disoriented as she heard the echoes of a quiet giggle. Where was she? She opened her other eye. Was this her dorm room? No, it couldn't be. She was sure something was wrong with it. Satisfied that her dream had taken another twisted turn, she closed her eyes once more.

_Thwack!_

Lily lurched back, clutching her head as the blood rushed upwards dizzying her sight temporarily.

"Morning, Lily."

Lily frowned, waiting for her wits to return to her. At the foot of her bed was a glossy-eyed Alice, accompanied by an extremely suspicious looking pillow.

"Did you- " Lily rubbed her forehead. "Did you just hit me with a pillow?"

Alice smiled.

"You were about to fall off." She said matter of factly as she motioned to the floor.

Lily propped herself up onto her elbows. Her duvet was in a knot on the floor; her feet were splayed across the headboard and her head, well. She realised why she hadn't recognised her room. She was upside down.

"Good dream?" Alice asked with a slight smirk. Lily thought that it looked out of place on her kind round face.

"Nightmare." Lily corrected groggily as she slipped her feet into her tartan granddad slippers. Still half-asleep, she wandered into the bathroom, careful not to accidentally give any of the other dreaming girls the same treatment Alice had so generously bestowed on her.

Lily leant over the sink, catching her breath for a moment before running a flannel under the tap.

She was safe. She was in her bathroom. She was not unconscious in a carriage, and she most definitely was not in James Potter's bed. Two vastly different places which her subconscious had decided to lump together for some no doubt deeply dodgy psychological reason. Lily grimaced.

She scrubbed her face violently until her skin was flaming pink in indignance.

A Coward. That's what he had said. Her dream had not been so kind as to let her forget it.

Potter was cruel and spiteful. This was by no means a surprise to her. Yet what irritated Lily more than anything as she slid her other arm into her robe was that Potter had proceeded to be exactly the opposite. He hadn't told Dumbledore. He had done as she asked, and that meant he was in the right. Both obligation and tradition dictated that she should therefore be he one to apologise first.

Lily snorted at herself. As if.

Lily may have been bound by an unequivocal sense of morality, but she was, first and foremost, a teenage girl. So she had, after a restless night of deliberation, decided that the best possible course of action was to avoid him.

"You good to go?" Alice whispered impatiently as Lily wandered out of the bathroom. Philly was up now and running a brush through her mop of hair. Lily paused, wondering how on earth someone could wake up looking so very elegant.

"Yeah- just need to grab my books. Why, are you in a rush?" Lily joked, ambling very slowly for the sole purpose of winding her best friend up.

"I um…" Alice bit her lip. "I um- want to go before _she- _" She nudged her head vaguely to what used to be Lily's bed, "wakes up."

Ah. The Brazilian Ambassador's daughter.

"Alice Milne!" Lily smiled cheekily, "Am I still dreaming or did you just say something bitchy?"

Alice chuckled lightly, "Philly must be rubbing off on me."

She ducked before Philly's hairbrush could clobber her head.

"Missed." Alice sung as she wandered over to the door.

"She cuts her hair and suddenly she's like a whole new person." Lily teased as she tossed yet another book into her bag.

"She'll be smoking in the common room next," Philly grinned. "Just you wait."

"Shh!" Alice giggled. "You'll wake Freya up!"

Lily wandered over to her bed and grabbed her pillow. She, personally, was an advocate for just calling her 'The Brazilian Ambassador's daughter', but if Alice insisted on calling her Freya, she supposed she might as well _try_.

"Okay, I'm famished. Let's go."

"Right." Alice relaxed, her back to the other two.

"Alice?" Lily smiled.

"Yeah?" Alice turned to meet her.

_Thwack!_

"Lily! Get back here!"

But both she and her pillow were cackling and halfway down the dormitory stairs.

* * *

"What's up with you?" Peter had asked as he stalked out of their room that morning.

The boy sulked into his porridge.

The truth of the matter was that a lot was up with James Potter that day. He had crossed a line with Lily- of that much he was well aware. It's not that he hadn't meant what he said, because believe me, he did. In fact if James had had the chance, he would have said the exact same thing again. Yet, stubborn as he was, James Potter hadn't slept a single second that night.

This was a war. She knew that. Sacrifices get made in wars. She knew that too. It's just- well he couldn't comprehend how someone as brilliant as Lily Evans could be so pathetically dim-witted. But she _was _brilliant. That's why when he closed his eyes that night he saw the broken look etched on her face as she lay limbless on the carriage floor and the same broken look when he called her a coward (even if it was the truth). He hated that he made her feel so un-brilliant. _Merlin_ he was an idiot.

So he too had, after a restless night of deliberation, decided that the best possible course of action was to avoid her.

Unfortunately (Or fortunately depending on your persuasion) being too busy sulking into his porridge, he had failed to clock the voices of three fellow sixth-years wandering obliviously into the Great Hall. If he had, he would have scarpered.

"Guys!" Philly chuckled. "I can't tell you who he is!"

She raised a finger to silence their objections. Emmeline had obviously been right on the train- there was indeed a bloke.

"But what I _can _tell you," Philly smirked as they ambled into the doorway, "Is that he's _very _fit, and of course… Loaded."

"What, monetarily or… You know."

"Lily!" Alice hissed in disbelief as they wandered down the hall, James Potter still _very_ oblivious.

"Both." Ophelia smirked as Lily laughed simultaneously with Alice's unimpressed cries. "Oh look, there's James."

Lily stopped. There indeed was _James._ On his own no less.

"James!" Ophelia called.

"No, no, no, no— " Lily tried grabbing the back of her robe but it was too late. "Philly- Philly! Ophelia Clarke!"

Lily whipped around. Avoid, she had decided. Not run straight into him at the first opportunity!

"You alright Lils?" Alice asked.

"On second thoughts- " Lily tried ducking out of sight, which was nigh impossible in the open space. "I'm not actually that hungry."

"Oh no you don't." Alice sighed unimpressed as she successfully grabbed the back of her robe. "It's just Potter and you're going to have to talk to him eventually."

"Alice- no, no, no-" Lily insisted. "You don't understand!"

But it was too late. Alice had shoved her to where Potter was sitting.

"Morning James." Alice muttered sofly.

The bench clattered loudly as James skidded up, his knees colliding with the underneath of the Gryffindor table.

"Sorry- Evans. I um, " He stammered clumsily. "Well I- I was just going, actually."

"No- don't leave on my account." Lily vaguely smiled, neither of them looking up lest they meet each other's eyes.

She winced, wishing very dearly that she _had_ woken up the Brazilian Ambassador's daughter and decided to give her the whole bloody Grand Tour.

Potter half nodded, sitting back down lightly. Lily slid in after Alice who was glancing intently between the two.

"I'll go get our timetables off McGonagall." Ophelia said carefully as she glided over to the Head Table.

"It's a nice day, outside." Lily offered feebly, as she poured herself a glass of pumpkin juice. It wasn't particularly.

"Yeah, it is." Potter agreed, suddenly very interested in the back of a cereal box. Well it wasn't- It was too chilly.

"Good day for..." They muttered in unison.

"Quidditch." Lily finished.

She blushed.

Potter winced into his porridge.

Alice blinked.

"I'm sorry," Alice began slowly, "Have I missed something or…"

"No—" James muttered, as Lily insisted, "Nothing."

Alice laughed lightly in disbelief.

"Right."

They sipped their juice.

"Where did you go last night?" Alice offered helpfully, eager to erase the silence. "I heard you leave the dorm."

"I um went for a walk by the lake." Lily attempted weakly. "I couldn't sleep really."

Because I was too busy having nightmares about you, Potter. Lily added mentally.

"What- you mean you walked down there alone?" Potter snapped his head up, his eyes propelling towards Lily's immediately. Alice blinked in confusion.

"Yes." Lily smiled through gritted teeth, feeling instantly less than grateful at Alice's attempt to strike up a conversation. "Funnily enough an escort wasn't really available at two thirty in the morning."

"Merlin Evans, I sometimes wonder if there's anything other than floo powder in that pretty little head of yours."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Got them!" Philly interrupted cheerfully, waving three rolls of parchment .

"It _means _that I don't want you walking around the castle on your own- _understood?_"

"No! Not understood!" Lily laughed in disbelief. "It is not any of your business what I do or don't do, Potter!"

"And on that note." Philly retreated off to the Ravenclaw table.

Potter glared back down at his porridge. He should have scarpered when he had the chance.

"It is if I have to save you from dying every two seconds." He mumbled.

Lily clutched her fork intently. Two minutes of conversation! Two minutes and he already had her wanting to gouge his eyes out. Any thought she may have had about apologising disapparated like a hung-over auror after a one night stand.

Alice looked between the two in horrified confusion. It would appear that she had indeed missed something.

They sipped their juice.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Alice clattered her spoon down in fright, "Remus, thank Merlin."

Remus laughed lightly. "It's just me Alice- not a werewolf. No need to jump."

He thought this was ridiculously funny and cackled, trailing off when he realised that James hadn't joined him.

"Merlin, who died?"

James and Lily shot him a dirty look. He glanced at Alice who simply shrugged a shrug which Remus interpreted as, "Remus, sit down and shut up. They're fighting again." What Alice actually meant was, "Please, dear Merlin get out of here before it's too late."

So naturally, Remus sat down.

"Padfoot and Marlene should be coming- they were just behind…"

"No of course she's not as fit as you," came the familiar tones of a cheerful Sirius Black- "I just want to know if she asked about me at _all_…"

"Found them." Lily smiled pointedly. Alice slumped in relaxation. Good. A bit of normality at last.

"I'm not your wing woman Black!"

"No I know that," He tried flattery this time, "Although you do look like an angel this morning, so forgive my confusion."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Sirius." Marlene smirked as she slid in next to Remus. "Morning!"

Sirius ruffled Alice's hair as he leant over all of them to a helping of bacon. "Please?" He begged, his mouth full of bacon, and big brown (albeit grey) eyes on display.

"Fine!" Marlene considered with a smile. "Freya spent all night asking me about the mysteriously handsome grey-eyed stranger at the other end of the table."

"Really?" Sirius mouthed hopefully, wide-eyed.

"No." Marlene grinned as she tossed him a roll.

Remus snorted.

"Merlin, Milne. I almost didn't recognise you." Sirius stopped. "What's that on your head, love?"

"What do you mean? It's a pixie cut." Alice muttered protectively, as she rubbed the back of her head.

"I know _what _it is…" Sirius said stupendously as he reached a hand out to her hair. "But- but _why?"_

"Don't listen to him," Remus grinned as he took a sip of his tea. "He's just jealous because his hair looks like _that._"

Marlene cackled as Sirius raised his hand to his hair protectively. "I don't know what you're talking about, Dolly Parton!"

"I _knew_ you'd bleached your hair!" Lily chuckled.

"I haven't bleached my hair!"

"Oh I'm sorry that's right." Sirius turned to Alice. "_The sun lightened it."_

"Well at least I don't need to use Sleekeazy's…" Remus paused for effect. "On the daily!"

Sirius drew a sharp breath. "Take that back!"

"No." Remus huffed.

"Take it," Sirius warned. "Take it back."

"No." Remus said smugly as he took another sip of tea.

Lily glanced up. Remus glanced up. It was written all across Sirius' face before the thought had even crossed his mind.

"Don't. You. Dare."

The onlookers took cover under various plates and condiments as a wooden stick was plucked from Sirius' side pocket.

"Reducto!" Sirius hissed.

Lily watched in slow motion as the curse soared out of the tip of his wand until it hit Remus' mug square on. Remus bellowed as the mug shattered into a million pieces, the tea exploding and drenching Remus from the tip of his head to his last toe.

The table erupted into laughter as the usually impeccably put-together boy just stood there, in soggy resignation.

"Thank you, Sirius." Remus shot passive aggressively. Everyone stifled giggles. "Lily, I will see you in Defence. Now, if you'll excuse me." He stood up, blinking as the tea dripped off his hair onto his red cheeks. "I have to go change."

Remus stalked off and out of the Great Hall leaving everyone to collapse into laughter again.

"Sirius!" Alice insisted, "That was horrible!"

"Believe me Alice," Potter laughed, "Remus has done far worse."

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Something the matter, Evans?" Potter narrowed his eyes.

"Okay!" Alice interrupted, _very _keen to avoid another fight. "Everyone's taking defence this year right?"

Marlene blushed sheepishly. "I'm not."

"She's too thick." Sirius bellowed with a laugh.

"Thanks for that evaluation, Sirius." Marlene snapped.

"Anytime love." He winked with a flashy smile.

"No, I got an A and the new bloke is only taking Es."

"That's ridiculous." Lily shot. "We're in a war- if I had it _my_ way Defence would be compulsory."

"Yeah but if you had it _your_ way," Potter interrupted. "Defence wouldn't be needed because we'd all be too cowardly to fight."

"Bite me Potter." Lily snapped. "Who does this new bloke think he is anyway?"

"Oh that's right!" Alice chimed in. "You weren't at the feast!"

No one quite heard Sirius' "Funny, Prongs wasn't either."

"It's Shacklebolt. Kingsley Shacklebolt."

"What?" Lily and James shot simultaneously.

"But, but he's only what- four years older than us?"

"Apparently," Alice continued. "He flew through Auror training in a year and has already put seven deatheaters in Azkaban."

"But how can Dumbledore expect a twenty one year old to teach us properly?" Lily insisted.

"I dunno." Alice muttered gently. "Maybe Dumbledore has a plan."

"Dumbledore always has a plan." Potter corrected.

"Either way," Sirius slapped James on the chest. "Shacklebolt loved us four years ago- he'll be a pushover now."

"Hmm." Lily narrowed her eyes with a polite smile. "I guess we shall see. We have him fourth period with the Slytherins."

And too lazy to bother with either Potter or Black anymore, she walked off.

"Alice- go after her! I don't want her alone today- understood?"

Lily stopped. That little bastard. She swivelled around on her toes, her jaw clenched.

"What was that Potter?"

He looked up and blushed. That had obviously not been intended for Lily's ears.

"Okay- let's go." Alice rushed up, dragging Lily away by the skin of her teeth. "He's not worth it Lils."

Lily stormed off.

"Honestly!" Alice hissed as the two reached Slughorn's classroom ten minutes early. "What's up with you today?"

"Nothing!" Lily snapped. To think, she was considering apologising to that foul creature. She would- she would- she would bloody snog the Giant Squid before she even considered that again.

"Do you reckon you could do the rest of us the decency of not shrieking at each other at every chance you get?"

Lily glared at Alice.

"Sorry- just a thought."

The run up to Kingsley Shacklebolt's defence lesson was much spent, on Lily's part, glaring at Potter. The bellend had obviously managed to pick the exact same subjects as her, and for that, her mood worsened ten fold.

In fact in potions, Sirius suggested that perhaps it was her time of the month; Marlene theorised that the tension was due to a clandestine meeting at the feast and Emmeline was of the order that they had shagged.

As one might imagine this did little to improve Lily's mood.

By the time fourth period swung around, the tension between them could be cut with a wand.

"What do you reckon he'll be like as a Professor?" Alice whispered conspiratorially as they neared the third floor.

"Dunno." Emmeline muttered uninterested as she popped a fizzing Whizbee into her mouth. Lily watched on as the pocket-sized girl bobbed off the ground.

"I really can't remember him." Alice thought aloud to herself, frowning.

"Well I guess we'll find out." Lily laughed as she pinned her hair back with her wand. They had reached the Defence Classroom.

"Drown me in amortentia and call me Aphrodite." Lily wondered if Emmeline had any shame at all.

Lily giggled wildly as Emmeline stood in the doorway, mouth agape and wide open for the flies to fly in. Probably not.

"He's beautiful."

Lily didn't even consider correcting Emmeline. Because he really was. Lily noted that he was at least six feet of pure muscle robed in a cloak of majestic midnight blue. He had a single gold hoop earring, which flashed coolly as he leant backwards against his desk with a grin.

The tables and chairs had been stacked haphazardly against the walls, leaving an open atrium. The room's inhabitants, which the three had failed to notice, were staring blatantly back at them.

"Want to say that any louder, Em?" Ophelia sneered loudly. She was hovering with the four marauders, Remus' arm swung loosely around her shoulders.

Emmeline grinned as she shrugged.

"For those at the back- I said he's beautiful!" Emmeline smirked as she curtseyed to the laughter of the classroom. By Godric above, she really didn't have any shame did she?

"Alright," The wizard laughed with a deep, booming voice. Lily melted a little. "Settle down, Miss?"

"Lee." Emmeline winked with a flick of her thick black hair as she wandered over to join a few Slytherins. Both Lily and Alice stifled laughter into their robes as they also wandered into the table-stripped classroom.

The Professor pushed off the back of his desk and hopped down to the open floor below.

"Some of you may or may not remember me as a student," He said as he suavely weaved in and out of the students, eyeing them carefully. "But for now, you may address me as Professor Shacklebolt."

Lily watched as Sirius whispered something to James, who chuckled lightly. Probably something completely thick and ridiculous, Lily thought irritatedly.

"I understand that it may be particularly challenging for some of you," He raised an eyebrow at the two boys. "To regard me in a professional manner…"

Emmeline wolf-whistled and the silence was broken with scattered laughter. Lily bit her lip, smirking. Shame? Emmeline's vocabulary had legitimately not even heard of the word.

He waited politely. "I hope each of you proves me wrong."

Lily anxiously raised her hand. He glanced at her.

"Yes, Miss…"

"Evans, sir." Lily could have sworn his eyes widened fractionally at this. She swallowed, slightly unnerved. "Will we be studying patronuses- because I know the ministry have just taken them out of the syllabus- but I should think they're quite important, don't you?"

"Swot." Potter coughed as Sirius snorted.

"I'm sorry Potter did you say something- I couldn't quite hear over the sound of your self-importance."

"Witty, Evans. Come up with that all on your own did you?"

"Prick."

"Stuck-up!"

"Nobody cares!" A voice squawked from the Slytherin side.

"Yeah you filthy blood-traitors!"

There were indignant bellows from the Gryffindor side as they raised their wands threateningly. More cries erupted from the Slytherin side as they did the same. Squabbles and shouts clattered over each other as the room echoed in a series of inventive (and some severely less so) insults.

"Silence!"

The voice rebounded off the walls, and the students did so.

"Thank you. There are very few things that Albus Dumbledore misjudges, and therefore I will refrain from voicing my opinions on sticking the Slytherins and Gryffindors in a Defence Class together. Have you all got your teenage-angst out of you or do I need to contact Slughorn and McGonagall?"

Lily shuffled lightly and stared at her feet. As did anyone else who had a single shred of decency.

"Good. To answer your question, Miss Evans, I am not here to teach you to pass your N.E. To do so would be to fail you spectacularly. I am here for the sole purpose of teaching you to defend yourselves- for we are at war. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either a fool or selling you something.

"Now, today we will be studying the art of letting your opponent know as little about you as they possibly can. Otherwise known as, non-verbal magic. Pick a name from my hat," He shook his hat out in front of him as people started unfolding names. "And start duelling."

They scattered as Shacklebolt began to prowl around the room. His eyes were keenly watching every single motion being made.

Lily unfolded her piece of paper.

"Bollocks."

"Disappointed, Evans?"

Well she wasn't not.

"Have a nice summer Avery?" Lily ignored with a light smile as she wiped the end of her wand against the edge of her robe.

"I did actually," Lorcan Avery smirked, his voice was deep, and dripping with the wealth and favour he was so very proud of. "I finally met my father's superior, if you understand my meaning."

Lily did.

He subconsciously pulled his sleeve down.

Her smile didn't falter, yet her eyes froze something menacing.

"Charming fellow actually." Avery added with an air of false obliviousness.

Lily's grip tightened around her wand, she had never tried a non-verbal spell before and she was just itching to test it out.

"I trust you had a nice summer with the _muggles_?" Avery smirked; his wand ready for whatever hex Lily deigned to send his way. "Fergus and Evan actually mentioned they had a chat with you just yesterday. They were saying how-

Screw non-verbal. This boy was getting hexed.

"Confundo!" Lily didn't wait for him to finish as his face twisted into a contorted state of confusion before springing back to his slightly less pinched expression. Lily smiled in satisfaction before gliding to face him, her nose nearly grazing his.

"The problem with purists like you, Avery," Lily whispered icily. "Is you're too proud to fear a poor muggleborn like me."

She bit her lip and smiled before being clapped on the back by a grinning Remus who had put his duel with Elise Cowell on hold.

"Nice one Lils." Remus beamed with a wink.

"Yeah nice one, _Lils." _Elise scowled as she wandered over, "too bad we're learning about non-verbal spells, not mildly-audible ones. _Merlin_."

* * *

"Two heads are always better than one. But trust is a double-edged sword. It either is the key to victory or our demise." Kingsley Shacklebolt added as he wandered, adjusting elbows and spouting wisdom.

Sirius ducked right as a scarlet hex shot past his left shoulder. With a cheeky grin, he fired three strokes back.

_Block. Swish. Duck._

James smiled broadly. "You're going to have to do better than that Old man!"

_Left. Spark. Block. _

"What?" Sirius bellowed with a flick. "Like this?"

* * *

"Who is that?" Freya Silva whispered to Ophelia with ravenous eyes.

Philly raised her eyebrows in disbelief- "Who- Sirius Black?"

She looked over at the boy whose black locks were flying about his cheesy grin as he dodged James' hexes.

"Sirius Black." Freya repeated with a calculating curl of her lip. "How is it they already know wandless magic?"

"I dunno." Philly snorted without looking away from the silky-haired girl. "Why don't you ask him?"

Freya dropped her shoulders back and lifted her chip up before plastering what Philly supposed was meant to be a sultry look on her sculpted face.

Oh how she couldn't wait to see the look on Marlene McKinnon's hideous face.

Freya stalked towards the two boys. "Sirius!"

* * *

Alice furrowed her brow, wand at the ready.

"Milne," Snape sneered as a wisp of white smoke dripped decadently down the end of her wand. "I think you'll find the aim is to actually cast a spell."

A bead of sweat trailed down her forehead. She flicked her wand.

Snape raised an apprehensive eyebrow. He smiled. She had again been unsuccessful.

"I feel sorry for you, truly. I do." Snape smiled patronisingly.

Alice flushed furiously as she again attempted in vain to cast a silent hex.

"Must be quite something to discover you're a squib this far on-

_Crash_. Something knocked Snape's legs out from under him. With a clatter he thudded to the stone. His face slapped against the cool floor. The classroom erupted into thunderous laughter as his ears grew pinker and pinker until they were so rosy he could have been mistaken for a pygmy puff.

Alice looked back in awe as she glanced down at her wand, certain she did not remember casting the hex.

"Excellent, Alice!" Professor Shacklebolt beamed as he offered Snape a hand up. "Excellent energy! Now, I'd like to see you incorporate a more flexible wrist."

Alice beamed widely as the Professor continued on his rounds. Snape shoved his robes down in a furious movement.

She smirked. With a more flexible wrist, Snape flew across the room.

* * *

"Sir!" Emmeline called across the classroom. Her opponent, Peter Pettigrew, groaned as he rolled his eyes.

"I've forgotten how to Stupefy- can you show me?" Emmeline smiled, a wicked, flirtatious smile.

Sirius and James cackled wildly, clutching their stomachs as they watched Peter fumble moodily.

"Remind me why I'm going out with you again?" Peter muttered indignantly as he flicked a frustrated piece of hair out of his eyes.

"Because I'm way out of your league- and you're lucky to have me." Emmeline smirked as she skipped off to try once more to get Professor Shacklebolt's attention.

"She's not wrong." Sirius clapped Peter on the shoulders heartily.

"Don't worry Pete," James smirked as he strolled past. "He's got nothing on you. What is he? Six foot two, Auror, Ex-Quidditch superstar?"

"Cheers." Peter huffed as he glared at the two cackling boys, "Thank Merlin I've got friends like you, eh?"

* * *

"Confundo." Lily muttered, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Avery stood, unperturbed.

"Almost." Potter grinned mockingly as he watched on. "You're still making a sound though, silly Lily."

_Merlin_. Potter- what rhymed with Potter? Rotter? Trotter? Nothing insulting- Lily thought. But still. That didn't change the fact that she could murder a man.

"Confundo." She thought, her cheeks flushed and pinched in concentration.

"And- ah." Potter commentated as nothing happened. "Nope. Try again."

Lily breathed deeply as she tried very hard to ignore his taunts lest she hex his head off.

Lily raised her wand again and stopped as Potter let out a low hiss.

"What? Potter." Lily snapped as her arms dropped resignedly to her side. "What is it now?"

"Your arm's bent too much."

"Is it now?" Lily spat viciously. "You show me then. Go on! What? Too much of a _Coward_?"

"No," Potter smirked as he wandered cockily over. He was close enough now that Lily could hear his breathing. Lily's heart thumped against her chest. "Like this."

He clasped her arm gently. She elbowed him in the stomach. He guffawed in pain.

"I meant show me, you idiot!" Lily shrieked as Potter clutched his stomach. Sirius and Remus watched on in fits. "Not _fondle _me!"

"I wasn't fondling you! Merlin!" He hissed still clutching onto his abdomen for dear life.

"Well you weren't not!" Lily snapped, her emotions very nearly (but not quite) flicking between anger to laughter.

"What does that even mean?!"

"Stop!" Professor Shacklebolt bellowed. "I'd like you to all gather around."

Everyone vaguely broke off their duels and convened around the man.

"Mr. Potter. Professor McGonagall informs me that it is your intention to be come an auror?"

"Bang on." James said smugly to Sirius' encouraging whoops, as he pounded Remus on the chest.

Kingsley smiled politely.

"Then I sincerely hope you learn to pay as much attention to your opponent as you seem to pay to Miss Evans!"

James ran a hand through his matted hair as the Gryffindors and Slytherins broke out in teasing laughter.

"Ah- bang on! Bang on!" Lily imitated as Emmeline laughed encouragingly.

"Funny- is it Miss Evans?" Lily shut up instantaneously. "I advise you learn to rely less on the weakness of your opponent and more on the strength of your Confundus charm! Both of you would do well to learn from your peers."

Sirius stifled a laugh.

"This is no game!" Shacklebolt shot him a glare. "When it's you against three death eaters, each with more training than you, each with more experience than you, a single moment of weakness and you're blasted into a million pieces."

The room fell silent.

"I think, perhaps, that a demonstration is in order."

"You two," Kingsley Shacklebolt motioned with a cool glimmer in his eye as he rolled his velvet blue sleeves up.

Both Lily and James looked around them as if hoping to discover that he wasn't motioning to them. Surely a professor Dumbledore hired wasn't thinking of duelling his pupils. Lily collated all she knew of Dumbledore. On second thoughts-

"Yes you- Mr. Potter and Miss Evans." He added as he strode into the centre of the room. The other pupils parted like the red sea as they scattered towards the walls, leaving a vaguely bewildered Lily and James in the centre. Coolly, James broadened his shoulders, a cocky grin stretching across his face.

What a so typically James Potter thing to do, Lily thought resentfully.

"What's it going to be?" Potter bellowed, lapping up the attention. He was in his element. "Two against one?"

Lily rolled her eyes as she began to circle the older wizard in the centre of the room. She could think of maybe one, two (definitely not more than two) people she would like less to be her partner.

Kingsley Shacklebolt simply smiled as he waved his wand, a protective boundary enclosing the three.

"That's hardly fair on you," James smirked, "_Sir._"

A spark of violet blasted out of James' wand, Shacklebolt deflected it easily.

"One." Professor Shacklebolt prowled suavely around the two. "Who can explain to Mr. Potter his first mistake?"

"He's too arrogant!" Snape chided and the Slytherins around him sniggered lightly.

"Exactly! He's let me know he's cocky- a cocky wizard always casts the first spell… And when his pride is threatened?"

James thrust an angry arm as a spell narrowly missed Shacklebolt's shoulder.

"He misses."

James scowled as Lily chuckled lightly. Served him ri-

"Miss Evans, if this is so amusing to you, why don't you give it a try?"

"Stupefy!" Lily spun lightly as Kingsley ducked, the stun narrowly shaving the top of James' right ear.

"Merlin, Evans!" Potter bellowed as the Slytherins erupted in raucous laughter.

"Oh shove off Potter- you could have ducked!"

"Two!" Kingsley mouthed. "You are a team, Lily! Communicate! Any resentment between you two can only be exploited!"

Lily cast James a violent glare, with a quick nod, they raised their wands at the same time.

"Immobulus!" Lily muttered as James silently shot a hex hurtling towards Kingsley's arm.

"Better!" He bellowed as he easily knocked them away with a backhand.

"Locomotor mo-

Lily was cut short as a gust of air shot her backwards. With another flick of Shacklebolt's wand, she was enclosed in a thick bubble of restraining Jelly.

"Three." Shacklebolt began as he flicked off a red hex. "If you cannot…" He shot a hex at James' legs. "Use non-verbal spells…"

He paused.

James determinedly shot at his chest.

_Flick. Swish._

It fizzled before it even reached his outstretched arm.

"Then pick a short one, Miss Evans."

Lily cursed loudly as she struggled to get out of her binds. What a little- sneaky- what the hell kind of professor was he?

"Exhibit A." His lips curled into a smile. "Expelliarmus!"

James' wand leapt out of his hand and into Shacklebolt's cool grasp. The onlookers gazed, too in awe to even mutter amongst themselves.

Professor Shacklebolt wiped a single bead of sweat as he removed the protective dome, the students straggling warily inwards. With a flick Lily was freed, and she resentfully ignored the hand up Shacklebolt offered her. _Unlikely. _She thought.

"Fine." He said easily as he returned James' wand to its very scarlet owner. "Four? Anyone?"

"Two heads are always better than one." A hoarse voice muttered. Lily looked up.

"_Bang on, _Mr. Potter" Shacklebolt said with a twinkle in his eye. "James made the mistake of continuing to duel me. His priority should have been rescuing his partner, Lily."

Lily rubbed her robes down angrily. Potter had scuffed up- naturally. But Shacklebolt- he was _really _something else. As if she thought he was good looking. What a hideous, unattractive, odious man.

"I think that that is sufficient for today- for Homework." There was a groan. "I would like analysis of this duel written up. What went wrong, what could have been handled better? There is no point making mistakes if we cannot learn from them."

* * *

"Sweet Circe, I think I'm in love." Emmeline swooned as they idled, dazed out of the Defence classroom.

Alice laughed lightly, "Yeah but you're in love with everyone."

"But this is different!" She smiled indignantly. "He's like this perfectly sculpted Greek Adonis whipped straight out of my dreams."

"I'll give you this one Lee," Ophelia contributed coolly. "I'd let him _explore my weaknesses _any day."

"Classy." Alice snorted. "What did you think of him, Lil?"

"I thought he was a bit of a prick actually." Lily spat suddenly. Lily thought 'bit of a prick' was a vast, _vast _understatement.

"Just because he doesn't fawn over you and Potter like every other Professor doesn't make him a prick." Emmeline said bluntly.

Lily glared at her and wished, as she often did, that Emmeline Lee had a filter. Shame? She had none of it. Tact? Lily thought two ounces at most.

"Yeah- well he embarrassed us for his own satisfaction." Lily muttered anyway. A little glum that Emmeline was right. "In my books- that makes him a pretty sub-par professor."

"He wasn't embarrassing you-" Alice insisted thoughtfully, "He was teaching- honestly I learnt more in that lesson alone than I have done in five years."

"Not to mention," Emmeline smirked lightly. "He's bloody gorgeous to look at. Marlene's going to be so pissed she chose Herbology over Defence."

A shrill giggle of "Oh Sirius, you're so funny," echoed down the stone corridor. Oh geez. Lily had quite happily forgotten about the Brazilian Ambassador's daughter.

Emmeline winced. "On second thoughts- it was probably for the best."

"Yep." Lily crinkled her nose in agreement.

* * *

"And then I told the goblin-" Sirius chimed loudly as they wandered down to lunch. "I wouldn't shag you if you sold me twenty Hungarian horntails!"

Remus snorted as the new girl squealed, "Oh Sirius, you're so funny."

As if he needed yet another ego stroke.

"Prongs." Remus stopped, pulling him back from the rest of the group.

He grunted in sort of acknowledgement.

"What's going on mate?" He was tired of James' nonsense.

James murmured something vaguely, running a sheepish hand through his hair.

"What was that?"

"I don't like that Shacklebolt bloke."

"Don't bullshit me Prongs." Remus groaned. "You've been a prick to Lily all day- I thought you said you were going to _try_ being nice this year."

"What's the point?" He mumbled pathetically. "She thinks I'm a twat."

"Merlin- pull yourself together mate!" Remus shook his shoulders. "She only thinks you're a twat because you're acting like a twat!"

"You don't get it- " He spat hopelessly running his hands through his hair. "Last night…"

"Last night what?" Remus asked warily.

James looked at him briefly for a second before recounting the entire fiasco. He looked up at Remus.

"What? Say something."

Remus stared, mouth parted slightly. "You are a twat."

"I know." James dropped his head hopefully.

"Like the thickest, most privileged twat there is."

"I know—"

"Then why haven't you apologised yet?"

"I don't know-"

"So what are you doing here then? Find her and apologise!"

"I can't!"

Remus stared at him.

"Merlin, you really are a twat."

* * *

**AN- So there it is I guess. Chapter 3. I swear ****I'll be trying to post more regularly now so stay tuned ;) I'm really struggling on how to end the chapters so any advice would be most welcome! Stay safe -Elle x**


	4. Distractions

**A/N Hello... Again... I know, I know it's late, and I'm sorry. I have the next chapter ready though so it will be up next week at a similar time- if that works for you guys. I just want to say thank you again, for anyone who's stuck with this and me so far and I really appreciate you. There's not a lot of James in this chapter but you know what they say- absence makes the heart grow fonder :) It's not my best work, I've got to admit, but I really like the chapter coming after this one so please stick around. Anyway- I'm waffling again. Sorry. Stay safe, xox -Elle**

**P.S Another quick disclaimer- I definitely do not own these characters. Never have and never will. But I really hope you already knew that.**

* * *

**Chapter 4- Distractions**

One hour. That's all she was asking for. Not one day, not even sixty-one minutes but one hour.

Just the one.

But Alas, 'twas not to be. Not eight minutes had passed and she was yet again being forced to endure a conversation about James Potter. She supposed this was the necessary downside to being in a school where arrogance was rewarded with honour and Dumbledore's praise, but still. That didn't mean she liked that fact.

Lily sulked into her empty plate. A distraction, she thought, was much needed.

"And then…" Alice recounted wildly, "Shacklebolt stopped, grinned, and then went '_Bang on_, Mr. Potter'."

"He didn't!" Marlene leant over the dining table intently.

"I swear- hand on my heart he did!" Alice insisted as she served herself another helping of Yorkshire pudding. "It was gold- I'm telling you."

"It wasn't _that _impressive." Lily muttered gloomily. She had so far heard the retelling of her Defence Against the Dark Arts class on at least five separate occasions and Alice telling Marlene over dinner, would make it six. Lily didn't fancy herself conceited, but listening to how you so masterfully embarrassed yourself six times would be enough to make any grown woman squirm.

"Just because he absolutely slaughtered you." Marlene teased.

"He didn't slaughter me."

"Well I'm just saying what I saw," Alice continued innocently, "And what I didn't see was you offering _Shacklebolt_ a hand out of some petroleum jelly- hmm?"

"Yeah- well." Lily gave up as she snatched the final Yorkshire pudding off Alice's plate. Alice was about to protest but quickly realised that she was probably getting off lightly.

"I guess if you ignore the fact that he's a dreadful teacher who bullies-

"_Bullies?"_ Alice repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, _bullies,_" Lily repeated (Marlene found this hilarious and so politely snorted) "his students, he is bloody gorgeous and I'll give him that at least."

Lily downed her pumpkin juice and slammed it on the table with a flourish. Over the six recounts, as you might imagine, Lily had grown a _huge amount_ of sympathy for the professor.

"Lily- how very shallow of you." Alice grinned.

"Come on Alice-" Lily derided light-heartedly. "You may not be as blatant as Emmeline- but you obviously only rate him because of his looks."

"I do not!" She scoffed. "I think he's really kind and- and a brilliant teacher."

"Whatever you say Miss 'incorporate a more energetic wrist.'"

"Actually-" Alice mimicked, "It was a more _flexible _wrist."

"Oh- sorry." Lily laughed. "Because that's so much better."

"Marlene- back me up here-" but as Lily and Alice both turned to face her, they noted that her attention had been caught by something a bit more flashy than an argument about the values of a Defence teacher. "Marlene- Are you alright?"

"Hmm?" She muttered vaguely. "They're looking rather cosy don't you think?"

A quick scan of Marlene's line of sight revealed that the four marauders (minus Lily's favourite- although as a brief side note Lily wondered if it was accurate to say favourite seeing as he was the _only_ marauder Lily actually liked), plus a couple of add ons. To Peter's left was Emmeline, who Lily thought looked slightly bored with her much more enthusiastic significant other. But to Sirius' right was where the real money lay. Freya Silva giggled loudly, tossing her head back as Sirius smirked at her, very evidently pleased with himself.

Alice glanced at Lily knowingly.

Yes, was the honest answer.

"_No!"_ Alice insisted in an uncharacteristically high pitched voice. Lily shook her head energetically as Marlene glanced at them wide-eyed. "_Not at all."_

Perhaps it would be pertinent at this point to note Lily's blatant refusal to acknowledge the existence of the party's final member. He was, of course, looking like a complete buffoon staring at her, and so Lily had decided that he wasn't worth noting.

"Are you sure?" Marlene repeated dumbly.

Lily and Alice simultaneously leant over the table to get a better look. Sirius ran his hands through his hair as Freya lightly touched his shoulder.

"Yep." Alice's fork clattered to her plate.

"Absolutely." Lily reassured, trying to hide her face whose particular proclivity to blushing would give her away in a second.

"Actually- you know what Alice-" Lily began over animatedly in an attempt to change the subject. "I _did _make a fool of myself in Defence today-"

"Maybe I should-" Marlene muttered, standing up vaguely. "Just pop over."

"What?" Alice panicked

"Say hello? I haven't exactly been the nicest to-

"No—" Lily insisted. "Don't do that."

"Should I?" Marlene ignored them as she stepped out of the bench. "I should go over. Yep. I'm going over."

And with that she strutted down coolly, an collation of male and female eyes from all walks of life trailing her posterior as she went.

"Why didn't you go after her?" Alice hissed across the table.

"Me?" Lily snapped back. "Why didn't _you?_"

"I don't know I-" Alice looked up at the ceiling. "_Merlin _this is going to be a disaster."

"Okay, hold on." Lily reassured. "We don't know that. She's not gonna- do anything…"

They both turned their heads once more.

"…stupid."

Horror, was the first thing which Lily felt etched on her face. Alice mirrored Lily's expression perfectly as Marlene confidently ruffled Sirius' hair, before slipping (or perhaps shoving would be a less polite description) imbetween Freya and the aforementioned boy. Emmeline, bless her, looked embarrassed for her best friend, whilst Potter (whose presence at this point could not be ignored) awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

Sirius on the other hand looked positively delighted with himself.

Lily couldn't help it. She just couldn't. Lily snorted.

"Lily!" Alice snapped.

"What?" Lily demanded- before grinning again.

"Come on- don't laugh at her-

"I'm not-" Lily giggled before biting her lip at Alice's warning look. "Sorry. I'm not laughing at her."

Marlene's shrill, identifiably passive aggressive, giggle echoed reverently around the great hall so that people from the Ravenclaw table were beginning to glance over.

Quite inelegantly, Lily burst into a second fit of giggles, knocking over Marlene's pumpkin juice and quite happily spilling its contents all over her lap. This only made her cackle even louder.

Honestly, she didn't even know why she was laughing, it had been a stressful few days with the Potter thing- alright?

A pair of familiar blue eyes fixed to hers.

No. Not Alright.

Lily spluttered. She felt the blood flood to her cheeks, leaving her a shade so scarlet even Vivien Leigh would be jealous.

Grinning over his shoulder at Ravenclaw table, was none other than the extremely tanned, recently blossomed (?), object of Lily's more private a thought: Theo Wood. Of course it was. Why would Godric grant her any less? Lily found herself quite speechless.

He waved- to be fair. It wasn't like an awkward –hello ah this is uncomfortable- kind of wave, but a cool, -hello, yes I just saw you knock over that glass but I'm going to pretend I didn't- kind of wave.

Lily looked at the ceiling, mortified. Of course he'd be sitting there. Bloody Godric Gryffindor. At this rate, the fate-meddling founders were getting more screen time in her life than Potter- which was saying something!

Resigned, Lily grinned sheepishly back, casting a wave which feebly said, sorry you had to witness that, but thanks for pretending you didn't.

For a brief moment, Lily wondered if he hadn't been waving at _her. _Her heart stopped.

But he laughed lightly, his face lighting up before turning back to his friends.

Lily smiled. She glanced to the side thoughtfully. She smiled once more, popping a piece of potato into her mouth.

"Scourgify." She smiled lightly as the pumpkin juice evaporated from her robes.

"We're going."

It was so out of nowhere, Lily nearly jumped right out her socket.

"What?" Alice asked.

"Come on. Up." Marlene tapped her foot impatiently. "I need to get out of here."

"Yeah, yes of course." Alice said quickly, grabbing her things. "Didn't go to plan?" She asked kindly.

"Nope." Marlene snapped, before storming out of the great hall, her ebony curls thundering behind her.

She was so quick, Lily and Alice had to awkwardly sprint to catch up with her. Lily winced as she just pictured the snooty look on Potter's face. Nope. Lily reminded herself. Ignore his existence. Find a distraction.

"GAH!" Marlene vented as soon as they were out of earshot. "Why do I always do that?"

"What?" Alice asked calmly, trying to get Marlene to stop pacing. She shrugged Alice's arm off and slammed against the stone wall. Lily was in such an odd mood, she had to force herself not to laugh again.

"I just made a complete fool of myself!"

"Oh we know-" Lily added cheekily. At Marlene's glare, Lily shut up. "Sorry."

"I'm sure you didn't-" Alice soothed as they slowly made progress towards the Gryffindor common room.

"I told Freya Sirius had herpes."

Alice blinked at her. Lily's mouth hovered open.

Lily _tried_ not to laugh. She really did.

She supressed a giggle. Her eyes were watering now. "I'm sorry Marlene-" She burst suddenly. "I'm trying not to." Her voice shifted higher as she giggled again, "I really am."

Alice stared at Marlene, ready to defend Lily to the death. A silent moment passed between them. Alice lightly fingered her wand.

"No you're right." Marlene suddenly laughed hopelessly. "Why- am I such. A. Loser?" She slipped down the wall, landing on the floor in a dejected slump.

"No!" Alice insisted kindly. Lily didn't say anything, her face shifting from glass-of-bubbly rosy to the much deeper red of cackling. "You're not a loser!"

Marlene stared at the two of them with a silly grin. "Yes I am."

Lily smirked. "Maybe just a little bit."

"Lily!" Alice hissed again.

"What?" Lily claimed indignantly- "Marlene thinks its funny now!"

"Yes but there's a time for honesty- and this is not it-"

"Oi- _Honesty _Alice?" Marlene bellowed with a laugh. "Are you calling me a loser Milne?"

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Lily smirked before Marlene chucked her wand at her head, it falling to the floor in a clatter.

"I'm joking!" Lily teased sarcastically before offering Marlene a hand up. The scorned woman rolled her eyes, before dusting her robes off.

"Come on." Marlene breathed confidently. "Let's get back to the common room before Sirius gets one of his female admirers to assassinate me."

Lily and Alice grinned at the other girl cheerfully. Her emotions were doing something funny today because Lily suddenly fount herself overwhelmingly wistful. It had been years since she had really spent time with Marlene- because of the event-thou-wouldst-have-a-death-wish-to-mention and she had forgotten how much fun she was. Ophelia was off somewhere, no doubt gallivanting with her secret boyfriend, and suddenly Lily was free to spend time with Marlene again. Guiltily, Lily thought she might prefer it that way.

"Lils don't look now-" Marlene hissed abruptly, "It's your boyfriend."

"Wha-" Lily looked at her. "What?"

Marlene nudged her head left ways as Lily spun on her toes; Alice coughed awkwardly.

When I say Lily's face dropped- I mean it legitimately clattered to the floor. Hilarious, Miss McKinnon, Lily thought.

"Oho!" His booming voice reverberated around the corridor. "I was hoping to bump into you, Miss Evans!"

Lily plastered an enthusiastic grin on her face.

"Professor Slughorn!" She smiled politely. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"The pleasure?" He beamed cheerfully. Alice and Marlene hovered beside her awkwardly. "You flatter me, my dear girl!"

"Not at all-" She grinned again, her teeth beginning to ache now.

"I just wanted to see if I could count on your presence at my next little meeting." He tapped his nose surreptitiously with a glance in Alice and Marlene's direction. Marlene grinned mockingly and if Slughorn hadn't been able to see her, Lily was 97% certain the girl would have shoved a finger down her throat to fake being sick.

"Of course, Sir." Lily smiled through pursed lips. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Oh, capital!" Slughorn bellowed heartily, slapping his hands together. "And of course, if you see your dear friend Mr. Black- tell him that he is welcome to drop by whenever he wishes."

Lily smiled politely. "When I see my _dear friend._" Marlene giggled before Alice elbowed her in the stomach. "I'll be sure to mention it."

Slughorn beamed down at her.

"Always a pleasure, Miss Evans!" He turned away from the three. "Miss Milne, Miss Macdonald."

"Macdonald?" Marlene laughed quietly through her teeth.

"Could be worse." Alice grimaced back. "I've gotten Mr. Pettigrew before."

"Hmm." Marlene stated quietly. "Now that you mention it I do see the resemblance."

"Shove off." Alice groaned with a well-introduced shoving of Marlene.

"I'm sorry about that." Lily turned sincerely. "He can be so foul and pretentious some times."

"Don't pretend you don't like him for our benefit Lily." Marlene grinned cheekily. "I think you make a beautiful couple."

"Not my boyfriend Marlene." Lily smiled irritated.

"It's alright." She chirped. "We all know you have daddy issues."

"What-" Lily snorted. "I do not have daddy issues."

"Alright- if you say so- but a forty year age gap- that's kind of suspect if you ask me."

Lily cackled loudly. "Yeah alright Marlene- you're right." Lily sung, not quite noticing the sudden changes in expression and implementation of coughing and spluttering on both Marlene and Alice's part.

"I started seeing Sluggy at the beginning of the summer- and I've got to be honest. I think I'm in love."

"Shame."

Lily's face dropped, her ears turning pink.

Godric no. Don't you dare.

"Here's me thinking us mere mortals had a shot."

Lily slowly turned on her heels to meet the gaze of, to be perfectly honest knowing her luck, exactly who she had expected it to be. She glanced over her shoulders for back up but her loyal, _dear_ friends of five years had mysteriously vanished. Huh. Look at that.

"Slughorn got to you already?" Theo Wood grinned down at her, leaning coolly against the wall. She was trying to recollect herself, but this task was proving a difficult feat as she tried not to notice quite how toned his arm was. Bloody keepers, bloody quaffles and bloody Godric Gryffindor!

"Yeah! Slug Club Veteran." Lily smiled, twirling her wand about mindlessly. "Yeah um- how about you?"

"First time offender." He grinned tapping the Quidditch Captain badge on his collar. "Funny how when your sister gets signed to the Holyhead Harpies- being Quidditch Captain is suddenly much more interesting."

Lily crinkled her nose with a smile, "He means nothing by it really-"

"Ah- but you're biased-" He smirked lightly.

"Oh right." Lily breathed sheepishly. "Because I'm in love with him, _obviously_."

She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes with an awkward smile. "Listen. About the um- about the-

"Pumpkin juice?" Theo looked at her innocently.

Lily pressed her lips together and smirked. "Yes about the pumpkin juice-

"What pumpkin juice?"

Lily nodded lightly. "Yep. Well I appreciate you not laughing at me."

"It's alright-" He shrugged cockily. "I'm used to it-"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily scoffed indignantly.

"Well first you fall into my arms on the train- then you spill pumpkin juice to get my attention-

"Oh to get your attention, was it?" She grinned, crossing her arms.

Theo bit his cheek and pushed himself off the wall. "If I didn't know better, Lily Evans. I'd say you fancied me."

"What?" Lily laughed breathily after him as he strutted down the corridor.

But quicker than she could have said you're a twat James Potter, he had disappeared around the corner. Lily turned lightly, touching her hair. What was that Godric? Something nice for once? She grinned, significantly bubblier than she had been ten minutes ago.

Huh. Dazed, Lily ambled up to the Gryffindor Common Room.

* * *

"But _Herpes_ McKinnon- _Herpes!_" Sirius bellowed across the common room.

Lily winced as she closed the Fat Lady, creaking it shut.

"You know what Black- It's probably true!" Marlene thundered back, deflecting the books he was lobbing at her with an uncommonly sturdy pillow.

Lily glanced around the room. There were a few seventh years straggling about, long since resigned to the fact that the marauders practically owned the common room, but ultimately (aside from Benedick and Beatrice over there making much ado about nothing), the common room looked welcoming. Why you ask? Because Potter was nowhere to be seen.

"I was doing you a favour!" Marlene shrieked, rooted very firmly in her position.

Sirius marched up to her, his nose brushing against hers.

Lily glanced around the room. What a genuinely wonderful surprise, she nodded cheerfully. No sign of the boy whose existence Lily was (not so consistently) refusing to acknowledge.

Sincerely, Thank you. She thought as she stared at the portrait of the sleeping Godric Gryffindor. I take it all back. You're amazing.

"A favour?" Sirius spat. "In what way is being the biggest cockblocker in the history of cockblockers a favour?"

"She's a spoilt brat!" Marlene retorted indignantly, snapping out her wand.

Sirius raised his own, sweat dripping decadently down the side of his face.

"Thank you." Lily sung, snatching both wands out of their hands. They both shrieked at her wildly. "You can fight all you want- but no wands- understood? There are innocent bystanders about." She said cheerfully, her series of odd moods not relenting quite yet. "Come pick them up in the morning-"

"Lily!" Marlene hissed as Sirius groaned loudly.

"Oh and Sirius- Slughorn wants to see you at the next Slug Club meeting."

Lily beamed as she wandered away from the furious pair.

"Is she on liquid luck or something?" Sirius stared stupendously after her. Marlene just shrugged.

"What's up with you?" Alice leapt on Lily's shoulders before swinging around to meet her smile.

"Nothing." Lily smiled simply.

"Has this got something to do with the Quidditch Captain we bumped into on the way up here?"

What an odd coincidence, Lily grinned. Whilst yes, partly it had. It was more to do with the fact that the other, more aggravating Quidditch Captain, was nowhere to be seen. The stars were beginning to line up.

* * *

Lily was sulking. (It might be worth pointing out that only twenty or so minutes had passed since the stars were, according to none other than Lily herself, beginning to line up).

She glanced down at the piece of parchment. Yes, it had been a good evening, so what better way to ruin it than to write her loving sister a letter?

Yay! Lily cheered internally. Woohoo! Merlin she was losing her mind.

_**Dear Tunie,**_

Lily wrote finally, before placing her quill back down again. She exhaled a sigh which was worth a thousand, tired words.

_**How are you? I'm well. Mummy says you're very busy with the Wedding preparations, and of course I would be delighted to be a bridesmaid. I'm really very happy you thought of me.**_

And she was, that wasn't a lie. If indeed, Petunia had thought of her. Lily slouched back in her chair. Do it for your mother, she reminded herself. The best she could do was pretend Petunia didn't despise the very ground she walked on, and write as if all was well.

**_I have some news that I thought you might like to hear. One of my friends, Emmeline, accidentally stole some muggle…_** Lily quickly scrawled out muggle until it was barely legible, a mistake she had made once before. Never again. **…****_someone's suitcase off the tube- and you'll never guess what she found in it… A record of Dancing Queen, by ABBA! Isn't that funny? Unfortunately we don't have a record player here at Hogwarts- _**Lily again scrawled out Hogwarts frustratedly, _**school, so we'll have to make do with my singing! I know- if you haven't heard from me within the month- assume they've offed me.**_

Lily blinked lightly. She was joking. _Almost_. The statement meant something else entirely if _They _referred to people she would not under normal circumstances call her friends.

_**I miss you Tunie, you and mum. **_

Lily let out a slow trail of air. The stress which accompanied writing this letter was not worth it, she thought to herself.

_**Anyway- I hope you're well and Send my Love to Vernon!**_

Lily snorted. That was a lie. The Drill-man could have nails and screws for all she cared.

**_See you at Christmas!_**

**_Lots of Love xox_**

**_Lily._**

Lily frustratedly placed the piece of parchment into the envelope and licked it shut. Owlless, Lily made for the Owlery.

* * *

The damp smell of familiarity welcomed her home as Lily wandered up to the Owlery. The West Tower stairs creaked loudly under her feet.

"Hello?" A gruff voice sounded from above her.

Lily smiled. Of course. Salazar, Helga, Godric, or Rowena- whichever one of you is feeling generous today. Thank you. Lily wondered as she ran her hands against the dusty banister. She popped her head through the floor.

"Hi."

"Now this is just getting weird Lily." Theo smirked, offering her a hand up.

"Calm down-" Lily grinned. "I'm just posting a letter."

"That's what they all say." He chuckled, tying his own letter to the leg of a Snowy Owl.

"What- get a lot of stalkers down your way?" Lily teased nonchalantly.

"So you admit-" He sent the Owl off. "You are stalking me."

Lily couldn't think of anything witty, so simply shrugged with a facetious smile. She moved forward.

He thrust his arm across her, grabbing onto the banister.

"I can't move." Lily raised an eyebrow, before turning to look at his sheepish grin. When they were this close, Lily noted that he had a scattering of freckles sprinkled across his nose- and no- yes- he had dimples. _Boy_, did he have dimples. Lily felt her stomach flutter.

"Ah-" He grinned, his teeth flashing. "Let me get that for you, Lily."

Maybe it was the way that he said her name, or maybe it was the way that his warm skin brushed against hers when he took the letter from her hand, but all Lily knew was that a knot she wasn't even aware was tied, unravelled within her stomach.

Merlin, he wasn't exactly an unattractive boy, was he?

Catching her breath, she leant backwards against the banister, trying to compose herself by looking at the various Owls twittering above her.

"Petunia Evans." Theo noted as he tied the letter to a gold-feathered owl Lily couldn't identify. "Is she the lovely mother?"

Lily laughed lightly, pushing herself up so that she was now balancing on the banister.

"No." She whispered lightly. Petunia was most definitely not the mother. Or lovely. Well- on most days.

"Is that all I'm getting? No?" He smirked widely before returning to the letter.

Lily just smiled in response. Petunia- well Petunia was something else.

"Who was _your_ letter to?" Lily asked, reasoning that this would be the end of the conversation.

"My brother." Theo shrugged nonchalantly. "He's just had a baby boy."

"Oh-" Lily smiled energetically. "Congratulations?"

He paused to beam down at her. "Yeah- yeah I guess so. They've called him Oliver- he's the sixth Wood- so one more and we've got an entire Quidditch team."

Lily laughed happily before listening to him spew on about their plans to gradually take over the British Quidditch League.

"Lily?" He grinned again, those dimples breaking through.

"Sorry?" She quickly answered, snapping out of her reverie.

"Do you want me to walk you back to your common room?"

What she really wanted was for him to say her name again in that husky Scottish accent, but as Mick Jagger once so eloquently put it, "You can't always get what you want," So Lily settled for a "No, but thank you."

"If you think I'm letting you get away that easily." He grinned, his height of well over six foot suddenly making itself apparent.

Lily hopped off the banister, before wandering over to the stairs. When she reached the top she turned and grinned. "I thought I was a stalker."

He turned his head as if he was deliberating it, "The jury's still out on that one."

Lily chuckled lightly before drifting down the stairs.

"Wait-" He ran to catch up with her. "Lily."

"Careful Theo- or I might start thinking you're stalking me."

He grinned sheepishly, before looking down at his feet. "You've done all this grafting- it would be a shame not to let me walk you back to your Common Room."

"I've been grafting have I?" Lily grinned with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright- well I know _I've_ been trying, at least, to flirt with you-"

"Okay."

"What?" He blinked at her.

"You can walk me back to the Gryffindor Common Room." She turned on her feet, and continued slowly.

"Right." He nodded properly, and proceeded to walk next to her, his hands easily in his pockets. And so they walked, in silence, until she found herself at the portrait of the fat lady.

"Thanks." Lily smirked.

"For what- you practically begged me to walk you back here."

"Goodnight Theo." Lily chuckled before opening the portrait and much to her delight being faced with an empty common room. Giddily, she collapsed into a sofa by the fire. Lily found herself thinking that maybe, just maybe, she had found a suitable distraction.

She grinned cheekily at the portrait of Godric Gryffindor.

"What you looking at- you cheeky little devil?"

As per, the man in the painting stayed asleep.

"I knew you liked me really."

Lily glanced at her watch and nearly shrieked in surprise. Was- was that? No it couldn't be. She looked again. It was! An entire hour and ten minutes- sans Potter.

'Well,' Lily thought happily. 'Someone call the Vatican because we've got a miracle on our hands.'

* * *

**A/N- Hi again- yep well that was that. I know it was a bit rough- a bit of a nothing chapter- but I really needed to get it out of my system so I could get out the next, much more exciting, much more thrill inducing chapter. Next Sunday it shall be out for those of you who bear with me :) Thank you, for those who have favourited, followed, or reviewed, you make this experience a whole lot more enjoyable. So stay safe, xox -Elle**


	5. The gates of Horn and Ivory

**A/N- Heya! What's this you ask? I know- an on time update! Wow! But in all seriousness, here it is! It's not actually the promised chapter because I realised that it was a bit of a non sequitur. So again, I'm not really that happy with it, but I thought it was better to put something out rather than nothing. Thank you again for all of you how have favourited, reviewed and followed! It really means a lot to me. I've added a prologue, because I wasn't too happy with my opening, so feel free to go back and read it... But like always, I'm waffling again. So here it is...**

**Stay safe xx -Elle**

* * *

**Chapter 5- The Gates of Horn and Ivory**

_"__Freak!" Her voice echoed like a shrill siren, engulfing Lily's teary eyes. "This is all your fault!"_

_"__I didn't- I didn't mean to!" Lily felt herself blurting, fat droplets streaming off her face onto the body cradled, still, in her arms. Its limbs were cold and surreal and soulless. _

_Through the haze she sobbed as Petunia's resentment whirled around her, the face of another boy yelling coward again and again rung out relentlessly, submerging her body. _

_"__No!" Lily shrieked wretchedly as the whirlpool dragged her lower and lower and-_

THUD!

Lily shuddered as something thwacked the back of her head. She blinked, blinded and confused as a pain shot down her spine. Where was she- why- what was-

She winked an eye open. Where were the owls- wasn't she just…

"You-" She hissed, lunging at the leg of the boy who called her a coward.

"Whoah—" He leapt backwards, landing square on the sofa.

Lily blinked bewildered. It would appear she was on the floor.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips; relief that it was just a dream, although now that she thought about it, all that she could remember was a light mist, a haze- but what? What was that? Was someone _holding her foot_?

No- surely it couldn't be? But- _was _it? So Lily said as much.

"Are you holding my foot?"

A second boy looked at his hands, dropped her foot and tucked his them sheepishly behind his back. It was dark and Lily was half asleep so she could barely make out a face.

"What-" She mouthed, propping herself up. "What are you doing?"

The two shadows looked at each other, wary to speak.

Lily could just about make out the shape of two boys and their two broomsticks. They were definitely tall and muscular. Lily swallowed nervously.

"Well you fell asleep-" Said the one on the left. "And we were going to carry you up to bed."

The other nodded sheepishly.

He didn't _sound_ hostile- familiar maybe- but then again she was half asleep so the wheels in her head were not performing to their usual proficiency.

**"**Tryna- What? There's a slide. You're boys."

"Glad you finally noticed Ev-"

He guffawed. The one on the right had jabbed him in the stomach.

"We know." The one on the right finally spoke, and Lily suddenly clocked why he was reluctant to speak. It was a sobering voice, and one that resulted in her mildly confused face becoming a downright aggressive one.

What the _hell _was James Potter doing in the dark with her foot?

"Why else would we—" He trailed off.

"Why else would we _what, _Potter?" Lily growled. There was not a sliver of white lighting the girls face, but both Sirius Black and James Potter knew her well enough to know she was scowling. _Murderously._

It was at this point that Lily fully processed the fact that these two boys (neither particularly renowned for their innocence) were clutching broomsticks in the middle of the Gryffindor Common Room at midnight.

Lily sprung up, thrusting her wand at Potter's neck before forcing him up against the wall. A streak of light from the window slashed her red face. He swallowed as he glanced down the end of her wand, met with a terrifying glare.

"Were you trying to _fly _me up to my room?"

"Yeah- well that was the idea until Prongs dropped you-

"You _dropped _me?" Lily bellowed as James cast Sirius a glare. The other boy winced a quick sorry.

"You were lying there-" Potter argued easily. "Asleep- anyone could have attacked you!"

"_Attacked_ me?" Lily spat, her eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. "Really? Who? A sans-caffeine Alice? _Peter Pettigrew_?"

"There are Purists everywhere Evans!"

"What? Even in the Gryffindor Common Room?! Are you thick?!"

"No." He grinned calmly, increasingly unthreatened by her wand. "Just careful!"

"Even if it wasn't a _thick_ idea! Why would it be any of your busineses?" Lily hissed viciously, her patience dwindling. "In what world do you have any right to get involved in my life?"

"I _told _you it was a bad idea." Sirius helpfully interjected. Lily spun to shoot him a murderous scowl. Defensively, his hands shot up. "What? Don't look at me- I told him it was a bad idea."

Lily thought that they were very lucky that she was half-asleep, very lucky indeed. They stood in silence. She glared at Sirius. She glared at Potter.

_Honestly_. For two intelligent boys, they seemed perfectly adept at coming up with some stupendously dumb ideas.

Re-holstering her wand, Lily twisted on her toes and stalked to the girls' dormitory stairs. When she reached the bottom, she spun around to face them.

She raised an eyebrow in sheer disbelief.

"I cannot believe you tried _flying _me up to my dorm."

"Well it's not as if we didn't try Wingardium Leviosa-ing you first." Sirius said plainly.

James and Lily stared at him.

"Well we couldn't get you around the corner." He added, as if it would clear up the entire matter.

Lily blinked incredulously.

"You—" She shook her head and walked up the stairs. She stopped, and then turned to face the pair. Deciding that they were not worth it, she wandered back up, dazed.

The stupidity of those boys sometimes, _Merlin_.

Lily dived into bed without changing. Un-hygienic, she knew. But as she dragged her duvet over head, hygiene was quite possibly the last thing on her mind.

James Potter and Sirius Black- Lily blinked bewildered. They just… baffled her. In what world would Wingardium Leviosa-ing her be a good idea? Just- what?

She shook her head. _Idiots._

She didn't close her eyes. She knew she had been dreaming when Potter dropped her, she knew it had made her uneasy and frankly, Lily didn't fancy another encounter with her volatile and unscrupulous subconscious. So instead, she stayed awake, replaying the conversation from the Owlery again and again because it made her forget that uneasy feeling telling her that something was definitely not right.

* * *

Lily stirred her porridge, knackered. Potter, the sleep-disturbing twat, was just two meters down the table, _laughing _and _joking_ with Peter Pettigrew. _He _probably had a decent amount of sleep last night, Lily thought resentfully.

"How are you behind on work already?" Philly asked down her nose as Alice scoffed some cereal, her herbology book open on the table. Lily looked up vaguely interested.

After spending all night trying to work out why one earth Potter and Black would think it wise to try fly her upstairs, she decided that quite possibly, only they could understand how their odd little minds worked. To be honest, that really didn't bother her too much.

"It's Professor Spudnip." Alice growled, not looking up from her fact file on Nightshade. "Second quiz of the term already- would you believe it? My stress levels-" She raised her hand fretfully, "Are this high!"

"You know what you need Alice?" Philly laughed. "A good shag."

"I'm not sure if you're aware Philly, but men _aren't_ actually the solution to every single one of Life's problems."

"Ah but they don't hurt."

Lily yawned as she glanced down the table again. On one hour of sleep, people watching was the best she could muster up (and although Lily would have vehemently denied it, she was hoping to catch the eye of a particular Quidditch-playing distraction)

She stared curiously as Emmeline slipped in next to Peter. She'd curled her sleek black hair, and with some golden dust shadowing her heavy-set eyes, Lily noted she looked really quite pretty today. Peter obviously thought so too as he went in for a kiss. Oh Godric. Lily thought, awkwardly mulching her porridge. That was a very clear dodge from Emmeline, whose cheek, not lips, were pink from Peter. Potter coughed awkwardly into his toast.

Lily zoned out as Emmeline began to talk animatedly to the boys, although Lily noted again, she was making a point of ignoring Peter. She looked instead to the Ravenclaw table where a first year was unsuccessfully trying to turn his water into rum. _Idiot_. Lily chuckled.

"…and Mulciber…"

Lily's ears pricked up. Emmeline was crouching close to the boys, it was barely a whisper.

"…Avery said he'd been let out of the Hospital Wing- been bragging about crucio-ing some muggleborn…"

Lily's heart stopped. Had Potter attacked Mulciber after she'd stormed off?

"He was in the hospital wing?" Potter demanded quickly. Obviously he had not. But this raised the question- if not Potter- then who? She swallowed nervously.

"Yeah- Avery reckons he's out for revenge. Wouldn't say who on though."

James glanced at her and she quickly focussed on her porridge again.

"What were you doing with Avery?" Lily heard Peter ask. She needed more information so she tried as subtly as she could, to scoot on a little closer.

"Merlin- Pete- you're so possessive sometimes-

"What? You're a muggleborn Em, I just want you to be careful."

"Honestly. Do you not trust me? I don't understand why you have to be so jealous the whole-"

Nope. Apparently that was the last of Emmeline's useful information.

Lily tuned them out and glanced at Philly and Alice who were still arguing about the benefits of therapeutic sex.

Her heart thumped. Someone had attacked Mulciber.

She and Potter had also attacked Mulciber.

Mulciber was now out, fit, healthy and by the sounds of it salivating with an appetite for revenge.

Ergo, she and Potter were not safe.

_Merlin_ it was stupid of her to think she could ignore the whole carriage thing and have everything go back to normal. Then again, it was equally as stupid of Mulciber to brag about casting an unforgivable with Dumbledore about. Lily swallowed. She sincerely hoped his stupidity caught up with him first.

Lily glanced slowly at the Slytherin table. There, staring blatantly back at her, was Evan Rosier. Lily gulped.

_He_, most unfortunately unlike his ridiculously obtuse counterpart, was not stupid.

Perhaps today would not be the day to wander about the castle on her own.

* * *

By the evening, news of Mulciber's attack had spread through the school like wildfire. Some were saying he'd tried Avada-ing a muggleborn, others that he'd beaten three to a pulp. Only five people in the Great hall knew the somewhat more prosaic truth.

Lily had felt this constant presence all day, as if something was stalking her like prey. She had the fleeting thought that perhaps she should speak to Potter- but then the sane part of her brain kicked in. _Just wait it out. _She found herself praying.

Mulciber's stupidity reaped its consequences at Dinner.

The whole school watched in silence as he was approached by Dumbledore. Quite calmly, the pair left the Great hall.

Lily searched for a brown pair of eyes. She met them immediately and swallowed. James Potter clenched his Jaw.

* * *

_"__Freak!" Her voice echoed like a shrill siren, engulfing Lily's teary eyes. "This is all your fault!"_

_Her tears thickened as the figure in her arms took form. Its emerald eyes were empty, its auburn curls were flaccid yet unmistakably, in her arms, lay the body of her mother. _

_"No!" Lily shrieked maniacally._

_A figure walked up to her, square-shouldered and brutish. Mulciber. Lily's breath ignited as he grabbed the legs of her mother, tugging her away._

_"__Get off her!" Lily howled, clutching her arms, "Leave her alone!"_

_"__Why?" the figure morphed. A pair of familiar brown eyes gazed back at her. "She's dead because of you. She's a muggle like you. The muggles are dead- because of you."_

_"__No!" Lily sobbed, shuffling backwards, "You're lying!"_

_"__Lily-" He laughed viciously. _

_"__You're lying!"_

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP?"

Lily darted upwards, blinking three times. Around the room, vague mumble of Lumos could be heard as the sleeping girls lit up, fumbling blindly as they sat in their beds.

"What- what's going on?" Emmeline yawned as she looked around the room.

"I was trying to sleep- but _she _wouldn't stop yelling!"

Lily looked up at the girl dumbfounded. Freya's hair was matted and her face was puffy. Lily thought, sleepily, she looked rather like a disturbed veela.

"Well _I _was sleeping just fine until you decided to scream like a bloody banshee." Marlene muttered gruffly as she shoved her pillow over her head.

Lily always knew she loved Marlene.

"Muffliato." She whispered timidly as there was a unanimous casting of Nox about.

"Are you alright?" Alice mouthed sincerely.

Lily nodded, well aware that she was not.

She blinked. It just felt _so_ real. She doubted very much that she was a seer, but she felt a little voice in the back of her head, chanting, _that's you, Lily, in a few months, that's you._ Angrily she stuffed her pillow over her head. No. It was not real. This Mulciber thing was just playing with her head; it was fear, not the truth. Although, Lily thought, it was becoming increasingly more difficult to tell the difference.

_Calm down. _Lily told herself. _Do you think Potter's staying up all night, worrying about Rosier and Mulciber? No. I thought not. So calm the hell down!_

She fastened her eyes open, determined not to fall asleep, thinking about all the ways she could get back at Freya Silva, to keep her awake.

* * *

"Morning."

Lily looked up, quite astonished, as there was a thud. Theo Wood was unloading his bag onto the desk beside her, a quill, some ink, some-

"I usually sit by-"

But she looked around and quickly spotted Alice giving her a gleeful thumbs up and a wink. She had sat herself next to the Ravenclaw Rohan Vance (Who Lily noted did not look entirely pleased with the arrangement seeing as Alice was an infamous klutz with a cauldron). She rolled her eyes with a smirk as Alice waggled her eyebrows.

Lily grinned at her much needed distraction.

"I didn't realise you were so keen to see me again."

"I'm not-" he smirked as he took a seat on his stool. "I just reckon you're my best shot at getting an O this year."

Lily blushed slightly. He may have been cocky but boy were those dimples something else.

"Sweet dreams?" He said nonchalantly, writing the date on the top of his parchment.

"Yep." Lily lied cheerfully. "You?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." He grinned cheesily at her and winked.

Lily cringed slightly. That was something straight out of Sirius Black's book that was. But then again, he really was gorgeous. Was it _really _worth it- this distraction- she found herself wondering?

Cons: He was cheesy, cocky, and if Lily was being brutally honest a bit of a Sirius Black knock off. Or pros: He was _tall, _Quidditch Captain, not to mention those David Bowie dimples which melted her insides every time he smiled at her. Given that she was a teenager and all, Lily couldn't _really _be blamed for thinking it was. It wasn't as if she was expected to _marry_ him. Because let's be honest, no one _marries_ their high school sweetheart do they?

"You wish." She smirked lightly, nudging him on the shoulder. She bit her lip, focusing extra hard on fitting the nib into her quill as she felt his gaze burning down on her.

_Your move, Quidditch boy._

Unbeknownst to the pair, a pair of deep sombre eyes had been watching the entire encounter. It was not, however, unbeknownst to Remus Lupin, who at this point seemed to be the only person in Hogwarts with an ounce of emotional intelligence in tact.

James Potter turned to Remus who was pretending, quite convincingly, not to be looking at James looking at Lily looking at Theo. Merlin, Remus thought, here we go.

**"**Since when have _they_ been friends?"

Remus pretended to look at his potions textbook.

"Um, not long." He spoke softly, warily. "You know- on and off- prefect stuff."

James glanced at the pair again, pretending to wipe his glasses on the sleeve of his robe.

**"**Oh- Right."

Remus looked up at him.

"He's um-" James added, trying to sound uninterested. "He's a bit of a twat isn't he?"

"Uh-" Remus Lupin thought that he wasn't. "Yeah a bit- Lily's probably just helping him with potions."

"Ah right." James agreed, looking up at them again. "Not that I cared or anything."

Remus' mouth twitched.

"Course not."

"Oho- Sorry I'm late!" Slughorn boomed as he bounded through the room. Lily watched on curiously as his belly bounced forward, a rather larger amount of sweat than usual protruding from his frowning face.

He panted loudly and slumped into his chair, dabbling his forehead with a handkerchief. Lily thought that this did _not _bode well.

"I had a meeting with a pair of particularly persistent parents-

"Mulciber's?" Emmeline shot tactlessly. Lily's ears pricked up.

"Pardon?" Slughorn repeated nervously.

"Mulciber- has he been expelled?" She added excitedly.

The class of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors stared at the professor expectantly.

"Expelled?" He bellowed, far too heartily. "No of course not! What ever gave you that idea Miss Williams-

"Lee, sir." Emmeline groaned loudly. "It's Emmeline _Lee_, has been for sixteen years professor Horny-Snail."

Lily didn't listen as Slughorn docked six points for Emmeline's cheek. The back of her ears were growing hot. Mulciber hadn't been expelled. Lily definitely had her moments but even she wasn't dumb enough to deny that the odds of this particular circumstance were not in her favour. Or Potter's for that matter. The hair on the back of her neck prickled.

Slowly, she turned her head. Her eyes met Potter's. His gaze was piercing, with concern or anger, she could not begin to fathom but there, in that moment, something unspoken passed between them. They were in this together. Whether they liked it or not.

Lily swallowed and turned back to the board.

"You alright?" Theo turned to her easily.

"Mhmm." Lily gulped, the boy's dimples seeming suddenly very insignificant.

"Oh piffle!" Slughorn cried as he fumbled about his desk. "Pardon my French- Miss Evans?"

Lily nodded quickly.

"Would you be an angel and see if Professor Spudnip has any spare Sophorous beans?"

Eager to get out and just- think. Lily said that she would.

* * *

The castle felt empty. _Eerily_ so. Every now and then, Lily felt as though she was being watched.

~_Snap~_

Lily flicked around. Nothing was there.

Slowly, she turned back, her heart thumping against her chest. She tiptoed forwards. It was dark outside already, not because it was night but because the clouds had cast a pall over the sky. A warm breeze ran across Lily's neck, promising thunder.

~_Snap~_

"Who's there?" Lily spun, her wand whipping out. The amber lanterns flickered violently against the walls.

Silence.

She was just being paranoid. It was this whole dream thing- the Mulciber thing. _Think like a Gryffindor, don't be daft_, she reminded herself.

The window panes clattered open, as the wind outside grew stronger, a storm was brewing.

The greenhouses were visible now and Lily felt her breath steady. Her heart braked, slowing to a secure pace. See? Paranoia- she was absolutely-

_CRACK! _

Lily's shriek was muffled as he slammed her against the wall. Her head rang out bitingly. A trail of cool copper dripped down her scalp.

In a moment of sheer genius (or stupidity) Lily stuck her tongue out.

"Gah!" The boy snatched back his hand and shook it of her slobber. Before Lily could dive out the way, his elbow jammed across her neck, slamming her against the wall.

She spluttered loudly. Her face grew pink as she clawed at his arms, flailing against his brutish strength.

"_Rosier_." She gagged breathlessly.

"Try that again—" He spat. Lily's eyes bulged as his wand pointed not one inch from her cheek. "And I _will_ blow the brains out of the back of your head."

Lily stopped wriggling. The windows crashed open as a flash of lightning struck the courtyard outside.

"What do you want?" Lily choked bravely. The oxygen supply to her face was slowly dwindling and she chewed her cheek in pain.

"Mulciber maybe thick." Rosier spat, towering over her. "But I'm not. Both the Dark Lord and I value my freedom, so if you, for a second think of going to Dumbledore about the carriage- I will make you watch as I personally rip Alice Milne apart from her navel to her nose."

Lily swallowed, a pile of sick building up in the back of her throat. She retched as it couldn't escape.

"Understood?" He snarled maliciously.

"Understood." She spluttered, inches from losing consciousness.

He looked her up and down for good measure, as if relishing her struggle and smiled. "Good."

Lily gasped as he removed his elbow. She clattered to the floor, rubbing her neck viciously as he prowled away from her. Lily spluttered as he paused. He kicked her wand over to her. Mirthless.

Lily frowned. It had dawned on her.

"It was you- wasn't it?" Lily breathed confidently, her voice hoarse dry. The rain was pattering outside the corridor, unrelenting.

He paused, not deigning to look at her.

"_You _beat Mulciber up. So he couldn't turn you in."

"In another world Lily Evans- had your blood not been so unfortunately tainted by the filth of your muggle parents- I would have taken thorough pleasure in ravishing you."

Lily lunged for her wand, thrusting it wildly at him. But she was still recovering and weak and so it deflected off the wall.

Rosier walked on.

"Run then you coward!" Lily bellowed after him, as she collapsed into the wall behind her, very glad he had not heard.

* * *

A bolus of sick grew and erupted out of her mouth, splattering the sink.

She coughed violently, clutching her neck.

Lily's arms clattered either side of the basin, daring to collapse under her. An unrecognisable reflection stared back at her, its eyes venomous and bloodshot, its hair dripping in blood.

Quickly, she gargled some water, brushed her teeth and lathered some powder to her blotchy purple neck. Lily smiled feebly. Good as new.

She retched into the sink. The storm was still billowing outside, and it wasn't showing any signs of ceasing.

As she wandered back down to potions, naught but a single thought was left in her vacant mine. The words of Albus Dumbledore:

_"__Never belittle the importance of asking for help. Sometimes admitting defeat is the most courageous thing a person can do"_

She didn't want to. Every fibre of her being was repulsed by the idea. But Lily knew she had no choice. She would have to speak to Potter.

So, when Marlene told her that she was going out for drinks with her boys at midnight that night, unable, or unwilling to sleep, Lily seized her opportunity.

A little voice in the back of her head was niggling at her, saying, _Lily Evans you are being thicker than a bowl of custard_.

It took every ounce of will power within her to overcome that voice, but she did it-

"Potter-" Lily shifted her weight awkwardly. "Do you reckon we could have a chat?"

James, Peter, Sirius and Remus stared at her as if she had just sprouted two floppy ears and a tail. Why was she doing this again?

"_Alone_." She added with a glance at the other three.

James blinked, as if processing.

"Uh- yeah- of course- did you want to-" he hopped up awkwardly, "Go up to my room- or?"

Lily swallowed.

"Um- yep- I'll-" Did she really have to do this? "Follow you then?"

He gawked at her. "Right- yeah of course."

Lily trailed warily behind him as he made for the stairs. Sirius decided it would be helpful to wolf-whistle and James tossed him a well-deserved middle finger. Lily rolled her eyes. _Grin and bear it. It'll be over in a minute. _

"When we hear screams- we'll know it's gone well."

"Shut up Sirius." Remus knocked him around the head with a pillow, and for that, Lily was supremely grateful.

"Uh-" James said slowly as Lily wandered into the room. His eyes shot up as he quickly started tossing things Lily couldn't quite see behind his back. "I guess- do you want to sit down?"

It was still raining outside, and the wind was whistling against the glass windows.

Lily glanced around the room nervously.

So this was what the inside of the marauders' minds looked like. She was half expecting the mad hatter to pop out somewhere. Grinning, she appreciated Sirius' Diana Ross slathered walls (she'd actually pegged him as more of a Farrah Fawcett kind of boy but apparently he was full of surprises); Peter's cupboard of chocolate frogs left her frothing at the mouth. To her honest surprise, Remus' was the bed which most resembled a bomb shelter; clothes and books and chocolate wrappers strewn across like a literal dump. She smirked as she saw an elongated bottle which looked suspiciously like hair dye.

_The sun lightened it my arse Remus Lupin. _

"Is this yours?" Lily asked quietly as she wandered over to the final desk. It was tidier than the others, immaculate actually. Lily ran her hand along the wall, the faces of the friends she knew so well, grinning down at her from a collage of memories.

Lily gazed at it. She was honestly taken aback. It was really quite beautiful.

"Uh- yeah." James muttered awkwardly as he glanced around the pictures. "I love photos- both muggle and wizarding ones. Makes me feel uh- immortal in a way I guess."

Lily looked on surprised as she saw a much younger version of herself hugging Remus by the shrieking Shack- a moment of her life, captured so simply. She wasn't sure if she was touched- or guilty that James had deemed her worthy of his wall.

"I don't remember this." Lily said quietly, running a finger along the photo. Its ear was folded and battered, _worn_.

"Really?" James asked seriously as he joined her. Lily glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as his shoulder brushed against hers. "It was the first time we lot went to Hogsmede- You wanted to see the shrieking shack- Remus wouldn't take you on your own so we had to come along-

"Oh yeah!" Lily grinned lightly, the memory slowly coming back to her. "And then Sirius managed to set Marlene's hair on fire and we had to sprint to Hagrid's before she murdered him!"

James laughed lightly. "Yup- that's the one."

It was a bit bittersweet, Lily thought. It was before Ophelia and Marlene hated each other, before her resentment for James and Sirius had even began, and before the thought of war was on anyone's radar. It was easier then.

Potter was right, Lily found herself thinking. That Lily in the photo, so naïve, so young, the photo made a piece of her immortal.

"It's a horrible photo of me." Lily added lightly, crinkling up her nose.

"There's no such thing, Evans." James said easily, and Lily's lips turned upwards slightly at the corners.

"You'll have to get a better one of me someday." She said sitting down finally on the chair.

James grinned sheepishly before wandering over to his four-poster.

"I- uh-" Lily looked around, the weight of the conversation she knew she needed to have bearing on her shoulders. "I wasn't too sure who else to go to."

Lily wasn't sure what to do with her hands. She fiddled with a quill on his desk, thought that probably she shouldn't be, and placed her hands awkwardly in her lap.

She watched as James hovered hesitantly by his bedpost. It was making her nervous.

"You can uh-" She swallowed. "You can sit down."

Lily winced. She wasn't sure what the proper etiquette for being in someone else's room was, but was sure that this was not it. Nevertheless, James complied.

"Obviously Mulciber's not been expelled." She began. "Rosier's- um. Well he's the one who beat him up."

"How do you know that?" James frowned lightly.

"Um-" Her voice shifted about three octaves higher. "Rosier may have uh cornered me and threatened to kill Alice if I didn't keep schtum?"

James blinked at her.

"What?" He growled, shifting from his position.

"Please-" Lily winced. _Bad idea _Lily's subconscious sung. "If I wanted to hex him- I would have already- No um-

She glanced at his furrowed brows, and quite unexpectedly, Lily found her shoulders sinking, and her breath steadying.

"I thought Mulciber's probably gonna be after _us_ now- right? So uh-" She paused warily, "Maybe we should, I dunno- look out for each other? Or something?"

Lily cringed internally.

"Yeah?" Potter asked her. His tone was disbelieving, confused and Lily thought she probably deserved it.

"Yeah." Lily said more confidently.

"Okay- um," He ruffled his hair awkwardly. "Solid."

"Brilliant." Lily slapped her palms on her lap as if to leave. "Well that was it really."

They stared at each other intently. James broke off and fiddled with his duvet.

"Evans- are you-" He looked at the ceiling. "Are you alright?"

Lily swallowed. _Don't do it. _Lily ignored it.

"No. Not really."

James looked at her, obviously not expecting a truthful answer. He nodded lightly.

"I'm sorry about that."

"It's not your fault." Lily laughed awkwardly.

When would be an appropriate time to leave? She found herself wondering.

"So uh- you and Wood." James said suddenly as he scratched the back of his neck. "How long's that been going on for?"

Lily looked up, slightly taken aback by the question. She supposed this would _not _be an appropriate time to leave.

"There's not- uh- not really anything going on. _Yet." _She added after a moments thought.

"Right." James nodded lightly. He looked up at her, something twinkling in his eye. "He fancies himself a bit doesn't he?"

Lily thought this was slightly rich coming from him, but her lips twitched all the same.

"No." Lily tried not to smile. "I'd say he's just aware that he's not the most unattractive bloke on the planet."

"Fine." James grinned. "Just don't come running to me when he's told you his plans to breed a little army of mini-hims to take over the British Quidditch League."

"That- Potter" Lily laughed, chucking a quill at him, "Is unfair."

He ducked bashfully.

"_And _I'll have you know I happen to quite fancy Quidditch players."

He eyed her for a second, and Lily suddenly felt quite self-conscious- sincerely hoping that Potter had somehow managed to miraculously forget that he too played Quidditch.

He tutted. "Slughorn will be gutted."

"Shut up." She laughed as he beamed back at her,

Lily glanced at him, as he leant back on his bed. He tossed the snitch up and Lily inexplicably found herself wondering if she should tell him about her nightmares as well.

"What happened, Evans?" James looked across at her, catching the snitch. "We used to be mates."

Lily thought 'mates' was a _bit_ of an overstatement. She looked up and grinned as Alice threw a snowball at James' face in another captured memory.

She figured she had two options. One: honesty. Or two: ease. But there was something about the sheepish look on his face that made Lily doubt that she could ever lie to him. She swallowed, unnerved.

"You broke my best friend."

"What-" James snorted. "Snivellus?"

Lily shot him a warning glare.

"Trust me Evans- I did you a favour." He continued obliviously. "That snivelling git was broken long before he met me-

"Do you-" Lily demanded as James' face dropped catching her eye. "Do you even care that you made my best friend turn on me?"

"Please Evans- _I _didn't make him a dark lord defending purist- did I?"

"You bloody well didn't help!" Lily spat suddenly. "What with your bullying- your taunting, your, your-

"It was a two way street!" James bellowed. "What about when he sent Peter to the hospital wing? When Alice wouldn't leave her room for a _week_ because she was so scared he'd embarrass her in the great hall again?"

"Well- he was uh-" Lily stammered. The wind whistled violently against the window. "He's had a tough time of it at home- and that's beside the point!"

"_Why_ are you defending him?"

"I'm not defending him- just-" Lily spluttered. "Why do you always do this?"

"Do what?" He shot back indignantly.

"Just when I start thinking you might be alright-" Lily frowned, "You say something like that and reality kicks in!"

"That's rich coming from you!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You turn every bloody thing into an argument-

"I do not!"

James guffawed as if she had delivered him evidence, signed and sealed with a kiss.

"You assume that I'm deliberately trying to wind you up-

"You _are_—

"And that I spend every waking moment thinking up ways to make your life miserable-

"Well it's not as if I don't have _reason_ to think that-

"I hate to break it to you Evans!" James shot viciously. "My life does not revolve around you."

Lily glared at him.

"Then why don't you leave me alone?"

"Merlin Evans- you're the one who wanted to speak to _me."_

Lily retreated.

"My mistake."

"Yeah." He said taken aback. "Yes it was."

"Fine. Whichever one of us Mulciber comes for first," Lily said quietly, "It's every man for himself."

James glared at her.

"Fine by me."

"Fine."

James glared at her. "The door's to your left."

"You're a dick Potter." Lily spat, slamming the door behind her.

The window clattered open as the wind crashed through, the photo's tearing violently from the wall. James fumbled about madly, clutching on to as many as he could.

"Fuck!" James bellowed as he kicked his bed.

* * *

Mulciber had been suspended, the pupil body soon discovered. It was all a bit he said she said, but apparently although he had blatantly confessed to the crucio-ing of a muggleborn, there was not much what could be done without a victim. So Mr. and Mrs. Mulciber (whoever they happened to be) had used their status within the ministry to get him a sentencing of two weeks house arrest.

That gave Lily two weeks, to work out what to do. Potter had been no help, _obviously._ She had been thick and naïve to think he had even a smidge of decency in him. Why she thought he could have changed she had no idea. They had been doing nothing but glaring at each other for a few days now- and (at least on her part) there was no prospect of that changing any time soon. No thank you.

So, after three restless nights, with the fear of Mulciber and Rosier appearing in her dreams yet again, Lily thought she should do what she should have done in the first place.

"_Dear Professor Dumbledore,"_

Lily tapped her quill against the glass pewter, a drop of black ink dripping dissolutely back down. Lily bit her lip.

_Dear?_ Dear seemed too personal. She respected Dumbledore, yes. She admired him. But _dear?_

She crinkled her nose and in a flurry of impulse scratched out the dear- instead opting for a simple _Professor Dumbledore_. Except now, there was a black ink splodge stained across the parchment and it had dried and it looked scruffy and it was just a disaster and a mess and Lily scrunched up the parchment and chucked it into the bin.

Briefly, she noted that it was a good shot.

Frustrated, Lily leant back into her chair and balanced on its two hind legs, relishing the idea that Mr Snowden her primary school teacher would be beside himself if he could just see her now. The Gryffindor Common room was practically empty, as it had been for about half an hour since dinner started; a half an hour in which Lily had attempted on numerous occasions to write this letter. Evidently, she had been unsuccessful.

What was she meant to write? On my way to Hogwarts the other day, Evan Rosier and Fergus Mulciber, two _very_ revered students with connections in _very_ high places attacked me unprovoked with the cruciatus curse? Nope- no thanks. She was much better off forgetting about the whole thing, and ignoring her subconscious until it just shut up about it all. Which, Lily admitted, was becoming increasingly unlikely, given that one does not usually tend to survive longer than forty-eight hours without falling asleep. She had only lasted this long because she had been dousing her intestines in vials of anti-sleeping draughts, and from the looks of the bags under her eyes, it was beginning to show.

Lily sighed and glanced outside the window. It was a grim evening. A grim evening filled with grim things and promising nothing but grim days to come. Oh how she loved Hogwarts.

"Lils- you ready?"

Lily snapped out of her reverie.

"Hmm?" She twisted around in her chair. Remus' grin met her.

"Are you good to go?" His robes were worn immaculately, and he was clutching a brown piece of parchment in his right hand.

Lily blinked at him for a moment, incredibly confused.

"Where?"

"It's Thursday-" Remus laughed lightly, his eyes crinkling. "Prefects- Patrols- any of this ring a bell?"

"Oh shit!" Lily snapped up knocking her ink all over the floor.

She closed her eyes lightly, just entirely deflated, feeling Remus' smirk without even glancing at him. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything-" He insisted.

"Well- you didn't need to." Lily slumped back. "I'm having an absolute mare today."

"I wouldn't have noticed."

Lily slapped him on the arm.

"Sorry." He tried not to grin. "Alright you grab your robes- I'll clean this up."

"Cheers Remus." Lily sighed. She had reached a point of utter complacency. Aside from the very generous gift of Theo Wood, the Founders had granted her nothing but misfortune and trauma. Absolutely fuck all.

And something within her was absolutely certain that tonight would not be an exception.

* * *

**A/N- Hey again! So I'm again not too pleased with this chapter, but I have to get through these early ones before I can get to the good stuff and it is really stressing me out. If you have any feedback or criticisms it is completely welcome because I want to make this reading experience as enjoyable for you as I possibly can. But thank you for reading it anyway, and I'm really excited for the future chapters so please please stay along :)**

** Next Chapter, same time next Sunday :) Stay safe xx -Elle**


	6. Voldy: The Hogwarts Branch

**A/N **Just a quick note today :) Just thought I'd warn you that there is some quite heavy language in this chapter? I'm not sure if this bothers anyone but just as a quick side note. Hope you enjoy! -Elle

* * *

**Chapter 6- Voldy: The Hogwarts Branch**

"I'm bored." Lily stated as they wandered through the fourth floor corridor for the fourth time.

"You've said." Remus laughed, kicking a door open. "About four times."

They peered in. Nope. No indisposed fourth years. It was empty.

"But like-" Lily continued, trudging along, "I'm really _really_ bored this time."

"Well if you're really _really _bored-" Remus teased sarcastically, before being shoved in the arm by a frustrated Lily Evans.

He chuckled to himself.

"Fine. I have an idea." He said finally.

Lily glanced up at him excited.

"But you're not going to like it…"

* * *

…_Meanwhile, Elsewhere in the Castle…_

Trust. It was something Severus Snape had little experience in. Amongst his pathetic little family, there was none. Amongst his _friends_ it bore no weight. The Dark Lord certainly didn't deal in trust, no. He preferred fear.

Severus sneered. Who needed trust when fear was a much more _effective _motivator?

The oak table was dripping with it- fear that is. To Severus' left sat Evan Rosier. His face was stolid and expressionless, and had Severus not seen the drop of thick sweat trailing down his crooked, repulsive neck, Rosier's easy façade may have fooled him. On the right edge of the table sat Flavia Rookwood, an odious seventh-year Gryffindor. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her nails kept tapping against the oak, _tip tap tip tap_, a convulsion of jittering anxiety. Severus' neck twitched. The fourth and final seat remained empty.

The three sat in impatient silence. Not bound by trust, respect, or even a core ideology. Bound by something, Severus thought, far greater than that.

_Fear._

_CRACK!_

The three jumped, the adrenaline kicking in. Severus peered at the centre of the table. Whimpering pathetically stood the Malfoy House-elf. Its filthy little fingers were clutching onto something- a letter perhaps? Severus paled. _Our penalty_, he thought bitterly.

Rosier snatched the letter from the wide-eyed thing, his beady eyes scanning it as quickly as he could. He thrust it down on the table, before peering at the bottom again. Severus could feel his cowardice manifesting itself in sweat as the seventh year scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"What is it Rosier?" The Gryffindor's low voice warned. Severus had never been so glad to hear the foul bitch speak. "What does it say?"

"You!" Evan snapped as the rubbery-eared thing squeaked. "Your master- did he send you with a message?"

"No sir," The thing squealed. "Master Malfoy only be telling me to _deliver_ the thing to master Rosier."

Rosier eyed the thing in appraisal. "Well then what are you waiting for you hideous abomination- leave us!"

"Rosier!" The girl squawked. "What do you gain by being so incredibly foul? Here you are Dobby-" She handed the creature a sweet. "_Thank you._"

Snape snorted. Trust a Gryffindor to remember the contemptible thing's name.

"Oh!" The Dobby thing whimpered. "Dobby thanks you, mistress Rookwood!" and with a crack it was gone again.

"Never took you for a half-breed lover, _Flavia_."

"Some of us aren't embarrassed to show a little mercy, _Evan_."

"The letter." Severus growled lowly, tired of their childishness, and particularly eager to discover that the Dark Lord hadn't issued them all with a death sentence. "What does the letter say?"

Rosier snarled at him.

"Lucius writes that Fergus isn't coming back."

The three turned to the final chair again, where Fergus Mulciber's presence was starkly absent.

"Serves him right! Hexing the Evans girl like that." Flavia Rookwood snorted.

Severus' necked snapped up at the sound of _her _name. _His Lily's _name. He could feel the heat of Rosier's eyes, glaring at him.

"The oaf's useless to the Dark Lord if everyone knows he's a Death Eater." Flavia droned on. "You would have thought after six years of training at Hogwarts, Mulciber would have gained at least one bloody brain cell in that thick skull of his."

**"**Mulciber's to be replaced by the Black boy-"

"_Sirius?_" Flavia bellowed. "Has Lucius been inhaling fumes from Snivellus' chemistry set?"

"Not Sirius you imbecile." Rosier snorted as Severus himself flashed with anger. "Regulus!"

"But-" Flavia swallowed. Severus sent her a warning look. "He's just a boy."

"Do you dare question the orders of the Dark Lord?" Rosier thundered.

"No." She muttered sheepishly. "Doesn't mean Malfoy's not gone absolutely barmy."

**"**Lucius writes," Rosier snarled. "That although we four have failed spectacularly in our duties regarding the aftermath of the crucio-ing of the mudblood…"

"_We?_" Flavia shot. "I'm sorry- but _I _wasn't involved in any of _your_ bloody stupidity. It's not _my_ fault you both have a weird sadistic fetish about Lily Evans. It's not my fault James Potter's a better wizard than either of you two snivelling idi-

"Lucius says it's time we brought the _other_ girl into our… operations." Rosier interrupted.

Flavia and Severus stared at Rosier.

"He's gone mad." Flavia muttered. "Lucius Malfoy has actually gone mad."

"The Dark Lord…" Severus finally spoke, he tried to adopt an air of finality. "Trusts the girl. And therefore, so must we."

"I still don't get why _I-_

"Because, Rookwood, your value lies in your secrecy." Rosier snapped. "If you are caught, so is your brother Augustus, and your entire purpose- well you know what the Dark Lord does to those he no longer needs. Understood?"

Flavia Rookwood stared at him. "Yeah. Fine."

"Good." Rosier narrowed his eyes. "That is all. You may go."

Severus sneered as Flavia dragged out her chair loudly, making a childish point of storming out, up to the Gryffindor Common Room no doubt. Severus slinked to the door.

"Severus?" Rosier placed an icy hand onto his shoulder.

Severus stared at him sullenly.

"A word to the wise, my boy." He grinned toothily and Severus wanted nothing more but to strangle him, "Steer clear of Lily Evans, or I will personally deliver her head on a silver platter to the Dark Lord himself."

Severus's fist clenched as he was left, alone in the secret council room.

Well, as he said himself, fear was one hell of a motivator.

* * *

**"**On your marks…"

Lily bent forward, clenching her teeth and fists.

"Get set…"

She glanced left at Remus, determination dripping across her scarlet face.

_WHOOSH!_

He shot off.

"Remus you little cheat!" Lily squealed before kicking off herself. She began skating, left right, left right, eager to catch up with the cheeky little bugger. He cackled as he whizzed around the corner, raising an arm to the wall to steady himself.

_Left, right, left, right_. Lily's eyebrows knitted as her muscles kicked against the floor, gaining momentum.

_Swoosh! _She soared around the bend, nearly knocking over the statue of Gregory the Smarmy.

_Left, right, left. _He had one, maybe two metres on her.

_Left, right. _Almost- if she just-

_Left- _

"Aha sucker!" Lily chanted as she shot past the boy. She cackled maniacally as he skated quicker and quicker, eager to catch up with her.

Lily grinned. The finish line was in sight. Just the stairs to go.

She stopped skating, allowing the momentum to carry her forward. She clenched her jaw, squatting down as she zipped past a painting of Morgan le Fay- almost there- _wait- wait-_

"GHUGH!" Lily thrust herself forward. She tucked her legs in as she flew, air bound over the flight of stairs. Her hair thrashed behind her as she almost- almost…

Lily grinned as she glided elegantly onto the ground. She pumped her fists in the air, spinning to a halt, turning to rub her victory in Remus' smug, cheating face.

"Aha you little Loser- wha-? shit."

_THUD!_

"Guh-fuck-merlin-what-gah-" Lily winced as Remus thumped down the stairs, step by step by painful step.

"Remus!" Lily skated towards the heap on the floor. "Are you alright?"

He grunted.

"Can you move your legs?" She asked hurriedly.

His roller skate sort of wiggled in response.

"Concussion- you could have a- fingers. Right. How many fingers am I holding up?" She frantically waved her hand in his face.

His neck cracked as he looked at her. Lily winced.

"Four?" He offered feebly.

Lily glanced at her two fingers.

"Close enough." She grinned, grabbing his arms. "Come on. Up you get."

It was a much more difficult feat than she had anticipated, helping him up. Not only was his scrawny, gangly physique surprisingly heavy (although Lily conceded he could not be much shorter than 6"2), but the pair were in roller skates. This meant that after a long thirty seconds of slipping, sliding, and legs flailing in awkward directions, they finally slumped back onto the stairs in a dejected heap.

Lily glanced at her feet, kicking her booted toes together.

Karma, she supposed. It was probably the fact that the pair were, despite appearances, meant to be responsible prefects, patrolling and _not _abusing their power. To be fair- two hours in, they had only discovered seven students not where they should have been (including one Sirius Black, who on being interrupted on his way to a no doubt clandestine affair, had nearly pummelled Remus Lupin, declaring something along the lines of, "What is the point of giving you the map if you don't use it to _not _bump into me you bloody cock-blocking git!" To which Remus had cackled and docked twenty points anyway). But all in all, it had been a fairly uneventful patrol…

So- were they _really _to blame that as Lily declared herself bored for the fifth time, Remus had whipped out two pairs of brand new state of the art muggle roller-skates, and challenged her to a race around the fourth floor.

Being an extremely _responsible_ prefect, she had of course said, "You're on."

Remus groaned lowly as he rubbed his head.

Lily leaned over to him with an innocent look.

"Serves you right for cheating really."

His concussion obviously wasn't debilitating enough to prevent him from stating a very snarky, "Fuck off Lily."

She laughed lightly, hopping to her feet.

"Alright. Enough moping. Up on your feet, Dolly."

"Dolly?" He groaned, using the banister to push himself up.

"Yeah-" Lily beamed cheekily. "Dolly Parton- blonde muggle singer- you bleached your hair- haven't we already been through this?"

"The sun-

"-Lightened it." Lily finished smugly as he pouted in indignation. "Yeah, yeah you've said. So why is it- Remus my darling- that I found a bottle of hair dye on your side table?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"What- when you were _chatting_ with Prongs?"

"That's not f-

"I'm not judging Lils." He said smugly, skating down the corridor. "I don't care _what_ you were up to in James Potter's bedroom. _Alone._"

"Remus-

"With dim- romantic lighting-

"Remus Lupin-

"With nothing but James Potter's gorgeous locks for company-

"What?!"

"In fact- I wouldn't blame you if anything _did _happen."

"FINE!" Lily yelped. He looked at her appraisingly. "The sun lightened your hair. I get it."

Remus grinned at her.

"_And?"_

"I'm sorry. You have lovely, natural, blonde hair."

"Damn straight I do." He grinned triumphantly. And puffed his chest with a smugness, Lily thought, worthy of Sirius Black himself.

"Alright." Lily stated, leaping onto Remus' back, which earned a deserved guffaw seeing as he had just toppled down a flight of moving stairs. "Shall we do the third floor one more time, then report back to Dorcas and Frank?"

"Sounds like a plan, Stan."

They skated for some time in comfortable silence, Remus occasionally pausing to examine a bit of brown parchment Lily couldn't quite read over his shoulder, encountering absolutely no one.

* * *

**…**_Meanwhile- Somewhere else in the Castle…_

Frank Longbottom peered through his large wire frame reading glasses.

The Prefect's Common Room was dark, and drowning in incriminating evidence. If anyone walked in, the pair of them would be dead. But then again, it was Remus and Lily on duty, and a part of him really wanted them to walk in.

"What d'ya reckon?" He asked, folding his glasses up.

Dorcas Meadowes swallowed. She had been gazing into his blue eyes and he hadn't looked up once. It was unhealthy, she knew, being so totally infatuated with a boy so oblivious that he wouldn't even notice he was dead if Voldy struck him in the face with an Avada. But she couldn't help it. She owed that gawky boy her life. And she, cool, collected, chill, Dorcas Meadowes was completely blindsided.

"Not a chance." She snapped. _See? _She didn't know how to act, so she reverted to bossy-totally-not-Zen Dorcas around him.

"But Evans, Potter, Black-" He pleaded. "They'd be brilliant!"

"They're too young!" She had to turn around, because she knew if she stared into those baby blue eyes that made her knees weak, she'd give in.

"Says you-

"You always bring that up!"

"Because it's a good point!"

Dorcas glared at him. He was just so brave. So Gryffindor. So unlike her. _Merlin. _

"Clear this up."

"No."

"Clear this up before Remus and Lily get here."

"No, Dorcas!"

"You know-" Dorcas wandered up to him confidently. "I think a part of you _wants _Remus and Lily to walk in here."

He swallowed. Dorcas _wished_ that the cloud of malice between them was sexual tension, but she was smarter than that. Not only was Frank Longbottom blissfully uninterested in her- but he wouldn't know sexual tension if it hit him around the head with a stunner.

"You're wrong."

"Clear it up then."

Frank didn't move.

"That's what I thought."

* * *

…_Yet another place in the Castle…_

"Lily?" Remus asked cautiously after some time.

"Mhmm?" She slid down his back, skating alongside him now.

"What _did _you and James talk about?"

Lily looked at him warily. She did a loop-de-loop on her rollerskates.

"You know- the usual." She smiled nervously. "Bit of this- Bit of that."

"Right." He nodded stiffly. "That's why the idiot had kicked a hole through his bed by the time Pete and I went upstairs."

Lily stared at him. He stared back at her.

"What?" She spat defensively. "Don't look at me like that! It's not my fault he has the self control of an underdeveloped three year old!"

"Fine." Remus sighed finally, eager to change the subject.

* * *

…_Somewhere on the third floor…_

Flavia Rookwood stormed out of the room. Her thick blonde hair trailed behind her; her face was red and blotchy and above all else, furious.

She had been inducted into the Secret Council when her brother Augustus had left two years earlier; he had been offered a job in the Department of Mysteries straight out of school, which was practically unheard of. Prime positioning it would appear for employment in the most _trusted _battalion of Death Eaters. Flavia detested the lot of them. _Bloody_ _conceited Slytherin snakes. _

She thought of herself as a nice girl really, (or as nice a girl as one can be if they believe in pureblood supremacy). Yes, _maybe _she believed that muggleborns were the spawn of the devil. And Yes, _maybe _she wouldn't marry a half-blood if her life depended on it- she didn't support the Dark Lord as a hobby after all. But honestly, the way Rosier, Snape, Mulciber the lot of them, sounded and acted as if they wanted to feast on the muggleborns, to ravish them, well that truly was disgusting.

_And_ _Regulus! _

Flavia found herself stopping. She did that thing where you think too hard and find yourself getting so into your thoughts that you forget you're just thinking and not really speaking and are suddenly quite glad that no one's around to see you.

_But Regulus is just a boy! _

She frowned. _Do it For the Dark Lord- Grin and bear it_. She repeated it again and again in her head like a mantra. _Grin and bear it, Flavia gal, you can do this. _

_Thump!_

Flavia rubbed her head as she clattered to the floor.

"Sorry!" A voice squealed. It was a girl and she too was on the floor.

"Lils!" a deeper voice rushed over.

Flavia blinked as she recognised the boy offering her a hand. Remus Lupin's face was scarred and tired (as she noted it often was), but he offered the two girls a hand all the same. Flavia adopted her Gryffindor smile as she patted her robes down, beaming at the little ginger minx herself. The one that Slytherins all around the block seemed to forget their morals for.

"Sorry Lily!" Flavia grinned, it was late she noted, and deduced that the pair of them must have been on their prefects round. "I didn't see you there."

"No, no it's fine!" Lily insisted politely. For a muggle born she was remarkably nice, Flavia thought. "It was my fault anyways." The girl motioned towards her feet.

Flavia glanced confused as she noted that for whatever reason, the pair of them had wheels on their shoes. _Odd. Must be a muggle-born thing._

"I won't ask." She chuckled as she glanced at Remus. He was grinning at her kind of lopsidedly, and the three stood in awkward silence for a second.

"Sorry-" Lily winced tapping her prefect's badge. "We kind of have to ask what you're doing out an about right now."

Flavia thought quickly.

"Yeah of course!" She grinned charmingly. "I had a tutorial with Slughorn. He's been on the uh- drink- but if you fancy I could get him… or?"

"No, no- that's absolutely fine!" Lily said enthusiastically, she had absolutely no intention of encountering a slightly intoxicated potions professor. Flavia's shoulders relaxed, although the Lupin boy was still looking at her with a sceptical eye. She chewed her cheek nervously.

"Well- we should probably be off then."

"Yeah course- I'll just head back to the Common Room."

They smiled and bid their adieus, as they turned off in different directions. Something dawned on her. Her face lit up.

"Actually!" Flavia spun around, her rosy cheeks beaming. "I saw Snape and that git Rosier in the west wing- snooping about suspiciously. I reckon if you go now you can catch them and give them a detention."

"Right!" Lily said breathlessly. Flavia didn't quite catch the girl's squeaky voice, or the fact that Remus turned to look at her warily.

"Thanks." Lupin said quickly, smiling at her politely. "We'll have a look."

He turned quickly to Lily, and Flavia couldn't quite help thinking how very nice that was of him, to comfort the girl like that, even if she was a muggleborn.

She beamed back.

"Solid." And with a flick, she continued down the corridor, leaving the two sixth years behind in their roller-skates, a pep in her step at the thought that she'd managed to get both Rosier and Snape detentions.

Remus turned to Lily, whose face had turned pale and white as a sheet.

"Lils?" He asked quietly.

"Yep?" She muttered, although Remus knew her well enough to know that that squeaky tone insinuated that she wasn't alright.

"They'll probably be back in the Dungeons by now." He said, trying to adopt an easy, unconcerned tone. "We don't have to give them detentions."

"Really?" She said, her voice hopeful as her emerald eyes bore into his.

Remus cracked a smile.

"Really." He raised his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders. "Come on- it's getting late. We should probably report back to Dorcas and Frank now."

"Yeah you're right." Lily said, the crinkles in her forehead no longer visible. "But if tomorrow we find out that Rosier's hexed some poor first year- it's on your head."

Remus' lips curled up at the edges, as he rubbed his hand soothingly up and down her arm.

"Fair enough." He grinned. James had told him about their argument. Lily hadn't. He wasn't sure how much she knew he knew, or if she even wanted him to know at all. At least she wasn't thinking about Rosier now.

* * *

Lily had cheered up quite a bit by the time they reached the prefect common room. They had raced, again; Lily had won, again (although, Remus thought, Lily was much sweatier than he was so really in the grand scheme of things, he and his gorgeous sun-kissed blonde hair had won).

Remus reached for the door.

"What in the-"

Lily stood square, both her and Remus' faces frozen, although in awe or confusion Frank couldn't quite determine. Frank sheepishly glanced at Dorcas, and as she shrugged, he offered the pair a feeble smile.

"Good run, Lily?" Frank offered blankly.

The pair, Frank and Dorcas that is, were standing in front of a pin board. Although Frank's broad stature blocked the left hand side, Lily and Remus got a fairly clear picture of what was on it. In gold blazoned lettering, the top read, _'Voldy: the Hogwarts Branch.'_

Lily chuckled. _Subtle_.

It looked like one of those police suspect board thingies that she had seen on the muggle telly. It was a collation of names, and photos and yellow string, with phrases such as, '_Dark Mark?' _and _'Potential Defector?' _splashed about. Lily recognised most of the faces staring back at her, Mulciber glared back at her, Rosier, Avery, Scabior- they weren't even limited to Slytherin. She thought she recognised a fifth year Ravenclaw girl, her eyes glistening innocently.

"Funny, Frank." Lily mouthed, as she reached out a hand to touch the pin board. "I'm speechless. I am genuinely speechless."

"Suppose there's a first time for everything."

"Shut up Remus." She laughed, a little more in disbelief then anything else. "What is this?"

"I dunno." Remus said as he joined her by the board. "Do you reckon it has something to do with 'Voldy and the Hogwarts Branch?"

"You're awfully sarky today." Lily chuckled as Frank and Dorcas hovered awkwardly, they were having a conversation with their eyes, and Lily was desperate to know what about. "I meant what's it for?"

The pair looked at the Head boy and Head girl eagerly. Dorcas shot Frank a fiery, warning look. Frank, being oblivious, ignored it.

"Does exactly what it says on the tin." Frank stated finally. He turned to the board and his eyes scanned it quickly, almost as if he was searching for something. "Dorcas and I- we've been trying to work out how you-know-who gets his recruits so young-

"Frank_._" Dorcas warned, but he shrugged her off easily.

"As you can see- we're fairly certain these lot are the ring leaders, the point of contact if you will," He muttered, deep in thought as he waved to a point on the top of the board. Rosier and Mulciber's respectively white and yellow teeth flashed back at her. "It's like a pyramid you see- four or five at the top, each in charge of another four or five, and another and so on and so forth- but we've reached a barrier-

"What do you mean?" Lily asked curiously.

"_Frank." _Dorcas was insistent now.

"Well we're fairly certain Rosier replaced Lucius Malfoy at the top when he left-" He started fidgeting, pointing to different points on the map. "But we think there are others- possibly Avery-" He said moving the picture of Lorcan to the top, "Ackland, Nott maybe- even Snape?"

Lily felt Remus' eyes burn down on her as she held back a faint choke. It was just a possibility, she reminded herself. Not the final truth.

"That's enough Frank." Dorcas warned lowly. "You've already said too much."

"You see the problem is-" Frank ignored her, "It's not like if you take one out, the whole thing comes crumbling. Like now Mulciber's been suspended- we reckon he's going to be replaced. It's more like a hydra- chop one head- three pop up in its place."

"Stop talking now- Frank Longbottom!" Dorcas bellowed.

"Why should I?" Frank bounded on the other girl, from their body language; Lily thought it was obvious that they had had this argument before. "You know bloody who's recruiting people as young as Regulus Black!" He shouted and it was Remus' turn to flinch this time, as he unplugged the photo of the fourth year from the section labelled '_Potential Defector?'_. "This is Remus and Lily, we're talking about. They're both fit and ready for the fight- aren't you?"

He turned on them desperately.

"Dumbledore said we needed to be patient!"

"Dumbledore also said yellow socks went with green shorts so-

"Don't be so facetious Frank."

"I'm being reasonable!"

"No you're not!"

"You of all people, Dorcas, should know what happens when they don't let you join up because you're too young!"

Lily awkwardly glanced at Remus. It was becoming increasingly obvious that they had interrupted something, possibly quite substantial.

Join up? What did that mean? What had Dorcas not been allowed to join?

"Can't Dumbledore just make everyone pull up their sleeves or something-

"It's not that simple." Frank groaned, collapsing into the sofa. "We're fairly sure You-know-who doesn't mark them until they've left school."

"Yeah sorry." Lily said sheepishly. "That was pretty dumb."

"No it wasn't." Dorcas sighed as she joined Frank on the sofa. She had obviously figured that she was fighting a losing battle. "I've done much worse."

Lily highly doubted it. Dorcas Meadowes, Lily thought, was a girl who just radiated good vibes. Lily cringed. But it was true. When you looked at her thick black dreads, the gold hoop tossed through her nose, or even the way her robes hung freely around her shoulders, she just emanated that _peace dude_, don't mess with me kind of vibe Lily thought was peak coolness. She highly doubted Dorcas could do anything stupid at all.

"Over the summer I went to visit Rosier under the pretence of you know _spending some time _with him to hopefully get some information-

"Good Godric-" Remus breathed. "And you let her do that?"

This was aimed at Frank.

"No I went on my own accord." Dorcas blinked sullenly. "Frank was allowed to join the Or-" She bit her tongue. "This _thing. _I wasn't. I was too young. I turned seventeen in August you see. So basically, out of spite-

"It wasn't out of spite." Frank tried reassuring her. "It was their fault-

"Trust me." Dorcas laughed lightly. "It was out of spite."

Lily and Remus craned their necks closer.

"So I go, dressed up all nicely, thinking, Dumbledore will regret not letting me in when I come back with some info on Voldy or whatever-" Her hand twitched and started shaking, Frank quite instinctively placed his on hers to still it. Lily's eyes widened as Dorcas gazed up at him, _was that- __longingly?_. "Turns out- someone, a spy or something, I don't know I only told Flavia, let Rosier know. He was waiting for me with three people in masks, and the next thing I can remember is being chained up in a room when Frank, McGonagall and this witch called Pomona or something apparated me out."

Frank was staring awkwardly at his foot. Lily and Remus were staring at Dorcas, and Lily found herself with a whole new level of respect for the pair.

"So that's what stupidity is." She smiled feebly, standing up, fumbling a photograph in her hands. "_Not _asking questions like that."

Lily watched on as Dorcas Meadowes reluctantly put a photo under the label, "_Potential Traitor_" She glanced at Remus, who's Adam's apple throbbed, as the blonde haired Gryffindor Seventh Year Flavia Rookwood stared back at them.

"That's not stupid." Lily said as she wandered up to her. "That's incredibly brave."

Dorcas grinned at her kindly.

"That's such a typically Gryffindor thing to say." She turned to face the other three, the only blue in a see of red and gold. "Stupidity and courage are not mutually exclusive. That's why, Frank Longbottom-" her eyes twinkled as she looked at the head boy, "I'm not letting you recruit them. _Yet._"

"Recruit us?" Lily mouthed at Remus, who simply shrugged as equally in the dark.

Lily raised a hand onto Dorcas' shoulder. She turned to face her.

"You don't really think-

"What- my best friend Flavia Rookwood betrayed me to Rosier?"

Lily glanced at her wide-eyed. Dorcas shrugged.

"Stranger things have been known to happen."

Lily swallowed. She couldn't imagine any of her friends ever betraying her like that.

"On a more cheerful note-" The tall girl sighed, sliding next to Frank. "Anything to report?"

Lily glanced at Remus, and somehow, they both decided it was best not to mention who they had bumped into on their rounds.

"Nope." Remus grinned. "I did thrash Lily in a race though."

"You little liar!"

"Yeah no offence mate," Frank laughed. "You wouldn't be quicker than Lily Evans if she had Devil's snare holding her back."

Remus grinned sheepishly.

"Thanks for that, Frank."

* * *

Lily wasn't entirely sure where she was going. Her feet were dragging, one foot in front of the other on their own accord. She had been walking for what felt like hours (but was really only a few minutes) before she found herself at the top of the astronomy tower.

Something within her stomach jolted.

Lily would be the first to admit that she wasn't overly keen on heights.

Her subconscious, had obviously decided against its better judgement, that what Lily needed after that odd conversation, was a bit of an adrenaline boost.

Warily, she stumbled across the platform, the wind whistling carelessly against her ears, biting at her, taunting her, _daring_ her to step just that little bit closer to the edge.

Lily Evans wasn't afraid of much. She was lucky in that respect. As she wandered along the edge of the platform, she was overwhelmingly glad her boggart in third year was just the Giant Squid. It wasn't something cryptic, like Remus' moon, or something gut wrenching like Marlene holding the corpses of her family- and thank Merlin it wasn't anything like Sirius Black's… A tall, sullen man had crawled out of the cupboard, brandishing a flaming hot whip, and as Sirius subconsciously raised a defensive hand to his back, Lily had realised quite how privileged she was. James Potter had proceeded to bellow at Professor Clearwater for being so cruel in making them face the boggart in public and the lesson had ended pretty soon after.

At first, she had been embarrassed by her boggart. She felt selfish that she hadn't seen Petunia lying there, or even her friends- in fact, her fear of the Giant Squid was so trivial that she had gotten over it the next week when (in trying to silence Potter's taunts of "Evans- watch out! It's a flying tentacle!" and "Sweet Dreams- don't let the little octopus kill you in your sleep!") she had gone for a dive in the lake, and discovered that the creature was really remarkable friendly, and quite disappointed at her (and yes it was a her) bad rap. But over time, she had learnt to be grateful, grateful that her greatest fear was not, like Sirius Black, her own father.

She swallowed. _Poor Dorcas_. _Who knows what Rosier did to her when she was unconscious? _Merlin, Lily thought she could be sick. But it was so brave of her, so brave. Lily thought she could never be that brave. And what had Frank meant- about recruiting them? Recruiting them for what? And Sev- was he really a death eater? Surely there was no way? _Gah! _It was so frustrating, all this not knowing.

_Fuck Voldemort! _She thought. _Fuck Rosier and Fuck this bloody war!_

The wind thrashed against her hair, and something in Lily's gut wrenched. Her legs were paralysed in fear, trembling blindly. Slowly, very slowly, she leant over the banister until it was digging into her stomach. Her heart clawed violently against her chest as she stared at the tiny trees speckling the courtyard below. _Far, _far below.

_Merlin_, that was one hell of a drop.

_Height_s? Maybe that was her greatest fear now. Her head began spinning, the adrenaline pumping a dizzying spell around her temple. What would her boggart be now, three years on, she wondered.

_Mulciber? Rosier?_ Lily thought. _Nah- they're both far too cowardly to be truly terrifying. Voldemort maybe? _She paused. A stone tumbled off the side of the tower and it clattered against the ground, an uncomfortably long time later. _Nope. _Lily choked. _Heights still trump Ol' Mouldy Voldy. _

_Failing your NEWTs? _A voice in the back of her head helpfully offered. _Seriously? _She thought back. _Alright, Alright… How about drowning in a vat of cooking oil? Ew- what? No? Alright- snogging Sirius Black? No I've got it! James Potter- singing in tights and a tutu at Eurovision? _Lily smirked. Now that _was _a truly terrifying thought.

She wasn't sure why her feet had wandered up there to be perfectly honest. The only thought that satisfied her was that her toes, much like the rest of her body, were driven by stubbornness, and an inability to admit that they were afraid.

Nevertheless, she found herself quite liking it up there (although why- seeing as her knuckles were white from clutching the railings too hard- she did not know). Maybe it was the Solitude. Maybe it was the Silence. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn't truly stopped, since being back at Hogwarts, and for five long minutes, she was finally at peace with herself.

_Merlin, that's naff. _She snorted.

No. Whilst these were all good shouts, she reckoned it was the thrill. The feel of the adrenaline pumping through her veins, the feel of the wind in her hair. Lily hated heights. And that was exactly why she loved being high up.

"Careful Evans-

"_Holy hippogriffs_-" Lily jumped, clutching her heart. "What did you do that for?"

She spun around, trailing off as her face pinched into a terrible frown. _How_, just how the bloody hell did this boy manage to be everywhere?!

"I'm not in the mood Potter."

"Well obviously you're in the mood to be murdered- standing at the edge of the astronomy tower like that! Anyone could shove you off!"

"What- like I'm about to do to you- if you don't _leave me the fuck alone!" _

She made for the door, spinning as he caught her jumper.

"Just wait- Evans." He pleaded lowly, half of his face obscured in the darkness. "Two minutes. It's all I'm asking for."

Lily bit her cheek, glaring at his wrist which was still clutching onto the sleeve of her jumper. He quickly dropped it.

"I brought a peace offering?" He offered hopefully, as he patted his pockets. He grinned sheepishly as he found what he was looking for, whipping out two slightly squished cauldron cakes.

"Nicked them from Pete. He always has them laying about."

Lily glared at him.

Frankly, she did not give a flying fuck.

"Fine. Suit yourself." He said, tossing one haphazardly into his mouth. Lily grimaced as he continued chewing. How charming.

"I am timing you." Lily added impatiently.

"Right. Yeah. Sorry." He blethered clumsily, nervously shifting his hands through his hair. "I uh- I have a proposition for you."

"Honestly I'm flattered Potter- but I don't reckon the Astronomy towers the most romantic place to be propositioning me-"

Potter stared at her for a second. Lily blinked. She wasn't entirely sure what came over her. Well, yes she did. She was never one to resist a witty retort, even if it was in front of Potter… _especially _if it was in front of Potter.

He smirked. Merlin Lily couldn't stand that smirk.

"We can take this to my bedroom again if you'd prefer-

"Oh shut up Potter. What's your proposition- proposal- suggestion- Gah I don't know! Time's running out! Get on with it!"

"Merlin you're cute when you pretend you hate me-

"Potter!"

"Sorry." He grinned.

Lily hated, and I mean _hated_ when Potter teased her like that, that whole I'm in love with you thing he did was sincerely aggravating, and Lily thought that the idiot had matured out of it. Evidently, she had been mistaken. Her patience was wearing very, very thin.

'Um- so- basically- here goes nothing." He breathed in deeply. "If you report Rosier- I'll leave you alone. For good."

Lily stared at him.

"You'll be free to stand on the edge of the astronomy tower and other easily murderable places with no objection from me."

She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right Potter." She shrugged, heading for the door. "You've promised you'd leave me alone before."

"You're right Evans- but your end of the bargain was that you'd have to snog me for ten minutes." She glared at him. "I think you'd agree that the stakes are a little bit higher this time."

Lily stared at him, her eyes searching for something in his. They were brown, _very_ brown, she noted, not sullen or vicious, more like chocolate velvet, laced with sincerity. Merlin she hated those brown eyes.

It was a fair deal. Merlin she could almost taste the freedom. And that's what Potter was offering her really- wasn't it? Freedom?

Freedom from him, freedom from Rosier. She was partway through reporting him anyway- really it was a win-win situation.

"Fine." She said finally.

"What?" He blinked at her, like a deer in the headlights.

"You've got a deal, Potter."

"Really?"

"Mhmm." She smiled politely. "Leave me alone, and Dumbledore will know about Rosier by the end of the week."

He stared at her, the moonlight dancing off his glasses.

Lily seized her opportunity and took the other chocolate cauldron out of the boy's hand and tossed it in her mouth. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"What?" She grinned, her mouth full. "It was a peace offering wasn't it?"

He nodded, still not saying anything. Lily smirked. He obviously had not expected her to agree to his terms. Well, one up on James Potter- and a chocolate frog heavier. This was shaping up to be a very good deal indeed.

Lily dipped, and wandered over to the door.

"See you around, Potter." Lily paused, grinning at him over her shoulder. "Oh that's right. I won't. _And_" She smirked, how malicious was she feeling? "That's a detention for being out of bed."

"Evans!" He finally yelped, springing up into action. "Firstly- there's no way I'm going to that Detention but—

She was already half way down the stairs.

"I've just got to say one more thing!"

"Oh look at that!" Lily sung not turning around as she examined her watch-less wrist. "Your two minutes are up!"

"When we were arguing- you asked me if I cared-" He was breathless, jogging down the stairs to keep up with her.

Lily continued marching down the stairs; she was nearly at the base.

"If I cared that I ruined your and Snape's friendship-"

Lily stopped. She clutched her wand.

Potter darted in front of her, two steps below so that their faces were nearly at the same height. Lily stared at him, those aggravating velvet eyes bared down at hers, his jaw was soft, the moonlight highlighted a bit of rough stubble on his chin, but his jaw wasn't clenched, it was loose, and Lily swallowed. His left hand clutched the banister, and Lily retracted her hand as his finger graced the tip of hers as if touching a blazing iron.

"Why do you think I haven't murdered him yet?"

"What?" She mumbled.

"Why do you think Severus Snape is wandering about the castle _alive_ after he abandoned you in that carriage- with Rosier and Mulciber?"

"What are you-"

"Of course I bloody care Evans." He said gruffly, staring at his feet. "I've always cared."

Lily gazed at him. _What?_

He opened his mouth to talk, thought against it, and ruffled his hair, instead turning and disappearing into the darkness of the Castle, leaving Lily alone, as he had just promised he would.

* * *

**A/N **Hello Again! So yes, I know, that chapter was a hot mess- but it was already late so I thought you know what? Screw it. I'm beginning to regret a lot of decisions I've made these first few chapters, but we're starting to get to the good stuff so please stay for just a little while longer :) Thank you again for everyone who has favourited, reviewed, and followed, it legitimately makes my day when I get one of those notifications.

So I have un question... How do we feel about Wolfstar- because I wasn't originally intending to go in that direction, but I have just read a brilliant fanfiction and I'm beginning to fall in love with the ship. It would be eventual, and a longtime in the future if I did- but its not set in stone either way.

Thank you again. Stay Safe xx Elle


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